Ranma: King of Fighters
by Grenzer
Summary: Ranma Saotome is about to find out the world of martial arts is bigger than he could ever imagine. But if he can persevere, he might just learn more about fighting and life than he ever imagined. Crossover with the King of Fighters. Chap. 19 is up!
1. A New Chapter

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all associated licensers. The King of Fighters and it associated series are the property of SNK-Playmore and all associated licensers. This is not a work for profit. I claim no rights to the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Continuity for Ranma is mostly derived from the manga, with some of the anime sprinkled in for good measure. Continuity for the King of Fighters is a modified form of the current story, how that is should be explained in story, but I am willing to explain for those with further questions.

Enjoy!

Chapter 1

It was just a typical day in the sleepy ward of Nerima, Tokyo. Which of course meant it was a non-stop barrage of impromptu fights, gender-bending and avoided romantic advances for one Ranma Saotome, the young master of Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu (Anything Goes School of Martial Arts). Ranma was making his way home from another mind-numbing session at Furinkan high school when that senile old lady who was always tossing out cold water into the street nailed him _again_. What was that anyway, the 500th time that had happened since he had moved here? And that was only a year ago!

One whole year, the now female teenager thought, how the time flew. Two weeks ago had been Ranma's 17th birthday, and he/she/whatever was now a sophomore at Furinkan High. A month before that Ranma's father had conspired with his old friend Soun Tendo to finally get Ranma married to his "fiancé" Akane, Soun's daughter and in many ways the most important person in Ranma's life. The wedding was a fiasco, Ranma's legion of rivals and admirers had seen to that, and it was disrupted before he could get married. Not that Ranma minded. He had decided that Akane was a very important person to him, maybe the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, but he did not want to finalize that relationship on the terms of those two old fools and their out-molded ideas about "tradition" and "honor." After all, the marriage was set up to unite the lines of Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu, but Ranma had done more on his own to define the modern form of the style then Genma or Soun ever had. If Ranma was going to be the future head of the discipline, then he would decide the direction it would take on his terms, and his love for Akane would be handled on his terms as well. That was part of becoming a man, right? Defining yourself rather than being defined by others?

So Ranma had that much planned out, but it was hardly comforting. The real question now was _how_ he was going to define himself, and make his mark on the world. For all the pride he had in his power and skill as a fighter, Ranma had to admit he was an obscure teenager living on the good graces of the Tendo family in one of the most distant wards in Tokyo, known mostly for its cabbage and the anime production studios headquartered there. If Musabetsu Kakutou was going to thrive, it needed to become better exposed to society. Soun used to teach it, and he seemed to be a pretty good instructor, but after his wife died his spirit was broken, and his fighting skills began to disappear along with his students. Genma was still a formidable fighter, but he was useless as a teacher toward anyone besides Ranma. No, that was not quite the right way of putting it; rather it was fairer to say that Ranma was pretty much the only person on the planet who could _survive_ Genma's teaching methods in relatively good shape, the magical curses and the pathological fear of cats notwithstanding. No parent was going to pay for their kids to be traumatized and screwed up the way Ranma had been by Genma. Then there was Happosai. Really, did anything else need to be said? Alright, Happosai was the founder of Musabetsu Kakutou and extremely powerful even in his old age, but he was a pervert and a criminal of the highest order.

No, Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu needed to be reintroduced into the world in a way that would wipe out any of the negative things associated with it. So getting back on point, just how was Ranma supposed to do that?

"Damn it all!" Ranma cursed out loud to no one in particular, "What am I supposed to now?"

"You can die you hussy! Ho ho ho ho ho!"

Ranma looked in the director where the voice had come from. No mistaking that voice… or that laugh. Ranma suppressed a sigh. It was Kodachi… for the third time this week!

"Die so that my love can be free!" Kodachi Kuno howled as she threw a razor sharp baton at Ranma's head. Ranma easily dodged it, because however skilled a gymnast Kodachi might be, a great fighter she was not.

That twit, Ranma thought to herself, when is she going to get a clue? Ranma made a quick jump into the air and caught Kodachi square in the stomach with a simple straight kick. Nothing else was needed, and the fight was over as suddenly as it had begun.

"I really need to stop wasting my time with small fries like you Kodachi." Ranma said as she landed on her feet. Kodachi landed right after her, though not as gracefully.

"I will defeat you girl!" Kodachi hissed between clenched teeth as she tried to regain her balance. "You will not keep me from my love forever!"

"Well hurry up then." Ranma replied, "Because it's getting really tiring having to waste as much time on you every week as I do. You're just not a challenge to me anymore girlie, you got that?" And with that Ranma continued walking home, a great deal more irritated then before.

* * *

"I'm home." Ranma called out as she entered the door of the Tendo residence.

"Well hello there Ranma, and how are you today?" replied Kasumi Tendo, Akane's eldest sister and all around domestic goddess.

"I'm fine Kasumi, thank you. You wouldn't happen to have…"

"Hot water? I have a kettle warming up on the stove now." Kasumi was nothing if not prepared for any occurrence.

"Thanks again."

"Is Akane with you?"

"Sorry Kasumi, she's still over at Furinkan doing stuff. You know how busy Akane has been since she was elected class president. She wanted me to tell you that she might be a little late."

"Oh alright, I appreciate you telling me that Ranma. Now let me go get that hot water for you." Kasumi said as she daintily skirted off to the kitchen. Ranma meanwhile sighed to herself as she removed her shoes and slipped on some sandals and then headed to the family room so she could lounge on the couch.

"Is this really how the rest of my year is going to go? Looking forward to coming home after a day of pointless fights and boring classes so I can have some dinner and relax on a couch? I feel more like a middle-aged salaryman then a proud martial artist!" Ranma declared to herself aloud.

"I know, odd isn't it? Especially seeing as how you're currently a chick and all."

"Well hello to you too, Nabiki." Ranma said unenthusiastically.

Nabiki Tendo, the middle child of the family and a scam artist without peer, lazily walked into the room with a can of soda in her right hand. "I thought you would be heading over to the dojo for a workout." she said, "You always do that after school."

"Why even bother?" grumbled Ranma, "These days I get into so many fights that I'm getting a far better workout at school then performing some kata in a dojo."

"Suit yourself." said Nabiki as she walked over to a table in front of the couch that Ranma was sitting on, and carefully laying her soda down, picked up the TV remote.

"I don't want to watch any TV." said Ranma.

"You're free to leave the room at any time."

Ranma huffed at Nabiki's snide reply and rolled over to give her some room on the couch. Nabiki took her seat and flipped on the remote.

"Let's see here," Nabiki mused at the TV screen flickered on. It was some corny game show.

"Can we at least watch something better than this?" asked Ranma. Nabiki shrugged and hit a button on the remote to change channels. A news broadcast appeared on the screen, and the anchor seemed to have a very pleased look on his face.

"In other news, four-time World Martial Arts Champion and national hero Kyo Kusanagi returned to Japan earlier today, after a lengthy absence from his homeland."

"Kyo who?" asked Ranma. "I've never heard of this guy. He's supposed to be a champion?"

"Well he was a champion at one point." Nabiki answered, "Granted I didn't follow that fighting stuff much before you showed up. But I think he was really big a few years ago…"

Ranma interrupted. "Wait! They're saying more."

"…Mr. Kusanagi's reason for returning to Japan seems to be centered on an exhibition match he plans on holding in Shinjuku ward. The funds raised for the ticket sales of this event will go to charity, and Mr. Kusanagi will also be meeting with his fans on Wednesday at a ceremony at the Tokyo Big Sight in Odaiba. It has been confirmed that Mr. Kusanagi will give more details on both the match and of his future career plans at this conference. Meanwhile, tragedy in Nagoya as an ice cream truck…"

Ranma let the news report sink into her brain for a moment. She had been looking for a way to shake up her life, and this Kusanagi guy was a champion known all over Japan, right? An idea instantly formed in Ranma's mind, a bold plan that seemed almost preposterous to even try. But maybe, just maybe…

Meanwhile Kasumi had entered the living room holding the kettle of hot water to give to Ranma. Nabiki noticed her older sister enter, and remembering something from a few years earlier, decided to ask her a question.

"Hey sis, does the name Kyo Kusanagi ring a bell for you?"

Kasumi stopped for a moment to think over Nabiki's question. "Kyo Kusanagi?" Kasumi began, "Let me think… oh yes! I remember him now; he was quite famous when I was just a freshman in high school."

She continued her walk over to the couch, "Here you go Ranma, just be sure you let the water cool down a tiny bit so you don't get burned, and be sure to use it in the bathroom so there is not too much of a mess."

"Thanks Kasumi!" Ranma said as she took the kettle, "So you know a lot about this Kusanagi guy, huh?"

"Well, no more than most people did back then. Let's see, he was only fifteen when he became the National Japanese Champion at a competition here in Tokyo. It was an amazing upset from what I remember, and as a reward he was made captain of the Japanese Team in the subsequent World Championship tournament that followed. He won that too, and the next three championships as well over the course of the next several years. Then he just sort of disappeared for a while. It was all quite mysterious. He later showed up in America, and he was competing in tournaments there and in other countries. That's the last I heard about him."

"Wow sis," Nabiki said as she raised a sly eyebrow, "You know an awful lot about this guy all things considered. I thought you only knew as much as the average person?" The look on her face deepened.

"Well, I must admit, I did have quite a crush on Kyo back in the day." Kasumi said as a slight blush appeared on her cheeks, "But don't misunderstand! Most of the girls in my class did. He was our age, and so strong and cool, I guess you just had to be there to appreciate it." Kasumi eyes misted a little bit as she remembered something else, "We were all so crushed when we found out he had been going steady with a girl from his school back in Osaka for years."

'Wow,' Nabiki thought to herself, 'My sister was totally into this guy! How did I not notice it at the time? Whatever, it was a long time ago. The real question is why Ranma is so interested in this Kusanagi fellow. Somehow, I doubt it's because he's handsome!'

"That's interesting Kasumi." Ranma said in an unusually thoughtful manner, "Really, thanks again for everything!"

"Why you are so very welcome Ranma! I guess I should start preparing dinner now, Akane should be home by the time it's ready." And with that Kasumi skirted on back to the kitchen to continue her work.

Ranma got up off the couch at that time as well, "Yeah, it was great hanging out with you Nabiki; we should really do this again some time!" And with that she bounded up the stairs, presumably to the bathroom where she could use the hot water. Nabiki was left alone to her thoughts.

Ranma was acting really strange, and as much as she would normally not give a crap about that, Nabiki quickly came to the conclusion that this could work out to her interest. The smile on her face grew even wider as her thoughts deepened.

She might just be able to make a ton of money off of all this.

* * *

Later that day, after Akane had returned home and everyone had finished dinner, Ranma went out back to the Tendo dojo so that he could clear his thoughts and plan everything out. Having changed back to his original male form and filled his stomach, he felt now was the perfect time to do so.

For her part, Akane was very concerned. She knew Ranma very well, probably better than anyone besides his mother, and he was not acting like himself. The Ranma she knew was a grumpy but noble guy who managed to get through the weirdness in his life with stride, if not some heartache. But lately he was so moody, _really moody_. Maybe she had not been paying enough attention to him. Her new duties as class president had cut down on the time she had to interact with him every day, and maybe over the past month she had not been there for him as much as she could have been. Add to that the craziness of the incident at Jusenkyo and the attempted wedding, and she could see why Ranma would be acting a little off.

Today however things had been different. When Akane got home Ranma was happy, with no reasonable explanation, as if he had made some sort of discovery that was his alone. What was he hiding? Akane thought by this point she could trust Ranma to not do anything behind her back. Was she wrong? Or maybe she was just thinking about this too hard. She was not proud of it, but there had been times in the past when she had leaped to judgment about Ranma's behavior and given him a hard time unfairly. As their relationship progressed, Akane did not want to make those mistakes over and over again. Really the most logical thing would be to just ask Ranma what was on his mind.

So why was she hesitating?

'Come on girl,' Akane thought, 'Act like an adult and get a grip! This is important, so don't mess it up!' She walked over to the dojo and saw Ranma feverishly practicing his techniques, a massive grin on his face.

"Uh, Ranma? Can I speak with you for a moment?"

"Uh… I guess. I just thought you'd be doing homework or something right now."

"Well I felt this was important. Ranma, do you realize how odd you've been acting today? I mean, lately you haven't been acting much like yourself to begin with, but today… why are you so happy?"

"That's an odd question."

"But my point remains. Why are you so happy? Just yesterday you were fuming about how Kuno keeps on trying to ambush you despite the fact he doesn't stand a chance, but now you're acting like you don't have a care in the world. Shampoo didn't feed you anything weird or something, right?"

"Of course not! Geez! That's what this is about?

"Okay then," Akane replied, trying her best not to get angry at Ranma's curt remark, "Then what is it?"

"Alright, I'll tell you." Ranma said, his face regaining its smile. "It's not like this is going to be a huge secret for long, but for the moment you have to promise you won't tell anyone else, okay?"

"Well alright then." She agreed. Now Akane was _really interested_ in what this was all about.

"Have you ever heard of a martial artist by the name of Kyo Kusanagi? I've heard he's a former world champion."

"A little bit. I think I was twelve when that all happened."

"He's back in Japan after being gone for years."

"And?"

"It's simple Akane. I'm going to track Kyo Kusanagi down, defeat him in a fight, and show the world the real power of Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu!"

* * *

Much earlier in the day, a jet touched down at Narita International Airport, just outside of the Greater Tokyo Area in Chiba Prefecture. It successfully docked at its terminal, and its passengers began to disembark. Three of those passengers however had to wait a while longer before leaving the plane. A short, slender Japanese man in his early 50's dressed in business attire entered the plane after the other passengers had exited. He went down the main aisle, looking carefully for the three men who had stayed on board. Towards the tail end, he found them conversing with each other in English. All were apparently in good spirits.

"Greetings to you gentlemen," The older man began in slightly stiff but perfectly intelligible English. "A pleasure to meet you all this morning, I do hope your flight went well. The next few days will be very busy and I apologize in advance for the toll that it may take on you, so if there is anything that my staff can provide for you in order to improve…"

"You're Kuroki right?" one of the men interrupted in Japanese. He was young and handsome, with dark brown hair parted down the center and dressed in a black jacket with jeans.

"Yes, I am Mr. Masuharu Kuroki." The older gentleman replied in English, "And you of course must be…"

"Don't worry about it." The younger man once again interrupted in Japanese. "These guys here will understand you just fine in Japanese. You don't have to do anything special on their behalf."

"What my friend here is trying to say is that we won't be putting any exceptional demands on you or your staff, Mr. Kuroki." said one of the other men in rusty but otherwise serviceable Japanese. "We'll head out to Odaiba as soon as you can get us there."

The man was blond and solidly built, and also dressed rather informally. His partner simply nodded in the affirmative.

"Very well then gentlemen." Kuroki responded as he put on his best smile. He turned back towards the young man with brown hair and bowed deeply. "On behalf of Japan's National Committee for Martial Arts, and all of your fans, I welcome you back to your homeland, Kyo Kusanagi."

End Chapter

_Update 8/14/10: This chapter has been corrected and reedited. While not significantly different from the initial draft, it should be far more readable. Thanks to all of you who choose to support this story. _


	2. A Bold Plan

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all associated licensers. The King of Fighters and it associated series are the property of SNK-Playmore and all associated licensers. This is not a work for profit. I claim no rights to the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Continuity for Ranma is mostly derived from the manga, with some of the anime sprinkled in for good measure. Continuity for the King of Fighters is a modified form of the current story, how that is should be explained in story, but I am willing to explain for those with further questions.

Enjoy!

Chapter 2

Akane stood silent for a good minute after Ranma announced his intentions. She looked perfectly calm at first, but then her face began to contort in shock, and it only deepened with each passing second. Ranma, who had not anticipated that Akane would be struck speechless (after all she always seemed to have _something_ to say), became increasingly worried as the silence continued. Finally he felt the need to break the awkward tension.

"Uh, Akane? Are you ok? You want to say anything?"

Akane collected her wits but paused to think for a moment. In the past she might have reacted by screaming at Ranma so loudly that it would have shaken the entire neighborhood. She would have hit him so hard that he would have felt it for days. But she had made a promise to herself to not act like that now that she had become older and more responsible, so she had to find a way to convince Ranma out of his insane plan that did not involve her acting violently.

So Akane decided to only scream loud enough to shake a _small part_ of the neighborhood. Ah yes, the triumph of progress!

"ARE YOU SOME SORT OF MORON?"

"Not the answer I was hoping for." Ranma replied. "I'm guessing you think it's a bad idea?"

"Bad? BAD? It's insane! You do realize Kyo Kusanagi is a public figure right? That if you challenge him, you're putting your reputation on the line in front of everyone in the whole country, and they might decide you're some sort of kook? Or that he might consider the challenge a personal threat and call the police on you? What would compel you to even consider doing something like that?"

"It was for our sakes."

Okay, Akane did not expect that response. She would have expected just about any other answer but that one. If only because the link between her and a martial arts champion that she barely remembered from middle school did not seem to be much of a link at all. Or that normally, Ranma tended to be fairly self-centered when it came to his immediate needs. Now she had to let Ranma explain himself more, if only to find out what was going on in that head of his. Maybe he was more troubled then she had initially feared?

"Okay Ranma, fair enough," Akane began, trying to even out her tone so as not to sound like she was being condescending, "Why do you believe that fighting this guy would be of any benefit to us? I mean I appreciate the thought, but I don't quite make the connection."

Ranma was surprised; after all he rarely had a chance to explain things. But this was Akane he was talking to here, and he knew that if could state his case clearly enough she would realize that he had a really good reason for wanting to fight Kyo Kusanagi. So he took a deep breath, cleared his mind, and began to explain his idea more fully. Just like how he had thought it out over dinner, where everything just seemed to fall into place. Hopefully it would seem as compelling when spoken aloud.

"Alright, where do I begin? It's like this; I've been seriously thinking about the future of our school lately."

"You mean Furinkan?" Akane interjected.

"No, no, no. I mean _this_ school!" Ranma said as he gestured outward, trying to point out the dojo they were sitting in. "You see we're both heirs to Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu, right? The future of its survival lies with us, right?"

"I guess." Akane replied in a slightly confused tone. It was true what Ranma said, but he was a far stronger martial artist then she, and for many months now she had not really given any thought to her role in the teachings of the school.

"Well then," Ranma continued, somewhat more confident now that Akane had agreed with him on something, "Realistically, it's up to us to make sure our school of martial arts survives into the next generation, but I don't agree with Pops or your dad's ideas of how that should happen. They just want us to get married so we can produce the next generation for them and sponge off of it. But that's thinking small. I think your dad understood that at one time as well.

"I want Musabetsu Kakutou to survive, no more than that, I want it to thrive! And that means we have to attract students, lots of them. With a large body of students and the fees they would bring in, we could gain some independence for ourselves. Our dads wouldn't be able to boss us around anymore. We could live on our own terms; maybe even have some room to figure out how to get around all the obligations we live under."

"I hate to interrupt you Ranma, but you have to explain something." Akane was more than a little stunned by all this. She did not expect Ranma to give such a coherent and impassioned speech. He normally reserved that sort of stuff for life and death battles, not planning for his future. "You keep on saying "us" and "we" when you talk. However, you are by and far stronger than me, you know far more techniques then me, so why do you act like I'm a part of all this?"

Ranma smiled. "Akane, I can't do this without you. A school that has any chance of surviving long can't have one master alone. Sure, you don't know everything I do, but you're the only other person with knowledge of Musabetsu Kakutou that I can trust. There's just no way I'd let Pops or Happosai have a say in how the school is run in the future, and I need someone who can instruct the students in the basic points of the art who would not scare them away or put them in danger."

Those words practically floored Akane. Not only was Ranma making more and more sense, but he just said he _trusts_ her. He trusted her to teach martial arts, to be a full partner in the running of the dojo. Akane had never even considered that she might have a future in the martial arts, not after having seen all of these other spectacularly powerful warriors show up in Nerima over the past year. And yet she really did want to be a part of it all! What else was there waiting for her? College? It would be very nice to attend, but she would have to pay for most if not all of it since her father brought in no income, and afterwards the best-case scenario would be to end up in some grueling office job in one of Japan's massive corporations, toiling for endless hours for the rest of her productive life. Well, either that or teaching History or English at some high school. She had been thinking of it before, but is that what she really wanted?

No! Ranma was holding out something new to her, something precious. Akane could make a living doing something she really loved. And it would ensure that she and Ranma always had something in common with one another through the rest of her life, and for Akane that was very important even if she rarely admitted it out loud. Still, one thing bothered her, and the whole thing could not come together unless Ranma could give her a good answer on it.

"So then," Akane started, "Why do you need to fight Kyo Kusanagi to make all of this possible? You, I mean we, could promote the dojo in other ways. It would be far less risky."

Ranma breathed out in relief when Akane said that. This was going to be the easy part to explain.

"That's simple. He's a former world champion, and people really seem to know this guy. If I can beat Kusanagi in a fair fight, than everyone can see the power of our fighting style for themselves; nothing else would establish our school so quickly. It's like all those stories my Pops used to tell me when I was growing up. The masters of various schools of Martial Arts throughout Asia would challenge each other to prove the worthiness of their styles. The ones who could dominate over others gained the most students. The guys who couldn't back it up disappeared… along with their schools."

After Ranma said that, he and Akane stood in the dojo for several minutes. The silence was awkward, and Ranma thought of asking Akane if she agreed with him or not. Just when he began to fear that he had come off as a loon…

"Alright then," Akane finally said. "You've made your point Ranma. I agree with you. I want to believe in you with this, because I think you have a good idea, and I too want to see Musabetsu Kakutou thrive as a martial art. I just don't know how we are going to do this."

"You just leave all of that to me." Akane and Ranma both turned their heads in the direction of where the voice had come from. Standing in the entrance of the dojo was none other than Nabiki, a light smile on her face. Her eyes however… they looked downright predatory.

"Nabiki!" Ranma said in a panic. "How long have you been there?"

"Since the very beginning, or more accurately, from the time I saw my sister start to walk out here. Come on Ranma, I saw the same report you did, and I had a feeling you got an idea from it. I have to say though, that was one mighty fine speech on your part. Didn't know you had it in you. I must say it's very admirable."

"What do you want Nabiki?" Akane said somewhat warily. She tended to give her older sister more credit than most people, but she also knew Nabiki had a way of twisting things to her advantage, and hers alone.

"Don't worry Akane, I'm not going to screw this up for you or anything, in fact I'm the person who's going to make all the pieces fall into place. Ranma has a good idea, but you need someone to manage all the little details. For instance, does Ranma remember when Kyo Kusanagi is coming to Tokyo?"

"Of course I do!" Ranma replied indignantly, "He's going to be at the Tokyo Big Sight on Wednesday."

"What time?"

"Uh…"

"How are you going to get there?

"Um…"

"How are you going to get out of school to see him?"

"Well…"

"You see? _This_ is why you need me."

"Wait," Akane interjected, "The Tokyo Big Sight, that's in Odaiba right? That's on the bay, practically on the other side of the city! How are we going to get there? The fees for the train are going to be high, and it's going to take a while to get there, _and just how are we going to get out of school?_"

"Like I said Sis, you leave all of those little details to _moi_. I can make all of this possible, trust me."

"But what's the price Nabiki?" Ranma asked, his voice brimming with suspicion. "With you there's always a price."

"For right now it's nothing. If my instincts are right, I can get very rich off of this and you get everything you want too. I make money off of it, but it does not interfere with your plans either. It's truly a win-win situation for everyone."

"There better be no strings attached Nabiki," Akane stated with deadly cold intent, "This is both Ranma's dream and _mine_. I swear, if you try to sabotage it like you did the wedding, there will be consequences."

"That was different Akane." Nabiki replied a little unnerved by her little sister's newly found resolve. "There's no conflict of interest here, we all benefit from it. So let's go to my room so we can plan out the details. We have less than 36 hours here, so every minute counts. "

* * *

Ryoga Hibiki, proud martial artist and inadvertent world wanderer, strolled down the streets of Nerima with a look of determination on his face. He had to find his friend and rival Ranma Saotome. He had not had an opportunity to speak with Ranma for quite some time, as he became lost shortly after the wedding incident and had been travelling from one part of Japan to the other in an attempt to get back to Nerima. Ryoga cursed his poor sense of direction, for it had made something that should have been so very simple into an almost herculean task.

Ryoga was legitimately sorry about his actions at the wedding. He had let his emotions about Akane get in the way of his consideration for his friend and… well it was hardly his proudest moment. Ryoga had his own girlfriend now after all, and to fully commit to Akari he had to put the past behind him. More than that though, was his friendship with Ranma. It wasn't the sort of friendship where the two slapped each other backs everyday and hung out at video arcades shooting the breeze, but it was a solid bond regardless, forged by their many trials together over the past year. Ranma had probably forgiven Ryoga for what happened anyway, but for his own peace of mind Ryoga had to make a personal apology. Even Akari had said it was the only decent thing to do, and she rarely commented on these matters, so Ryoga knew this was serious. Now that he was finally back in Nerima after so many weeks, he could square things out.

He had a good feeling about it though. It was a beautiful autumn morning and he could tell that the weather was going to hold out all day. He would not have to worry about any sudden rain shower activating his curse and complicating things. Ryoga then wondered if he was getting closer to Furinkan High. He was about to flag down a person walking in the street if they knew how close Furinkan was when fate intervened.

A standard passenger bus was coming down the street, which in itself was hardly unusual in a busy metropolis like Tokyo. Ryoga would not have normally even given it any thought, but he sensed a premonition that compelled him to take a closer look at it.

Lo and behold, Ranma was sitting on one of the seats next to the window, and next to him was Akane. Sitting in the row behind them was Nabiki. Ryoga felt like screaming out to catch their attention, but the bus was gone almost as soon as it had appeared, and left Ryoga scratching his head as to what was going on.

That was really odd, Ryoga thought. He could have sworn today was a school day. And Ranma and Akane never take the bus to school anyway, they walk there. Maybe he had confused the date?

Ryoga took out a small calendar that he kept in his massive backpack for just such an occasion; he scanned through it and confirmed what he had thought originally. It was a Wednesday, and that clearly meant there was school today. What possible reason could Ranma, Akane, and Nabiki have for not being at school?

Whatever it was, Ryoga knew what it was not. If Nabiki was along for the ride, then he doubted Ranma and Akane were skipping off on a romantic getaway. Ryoga wished he had caught the sign that mentioned where the bus was going, that might have clarified things.

"What the hell do I do now?" Ryoga screamed out to no one in particular. Some people on the street look at him oddly and kept on walking, not wanting to get involved with whatever problems this weird kid in black and yellow was involved in. Ryoga's mode turned very sullen, what had seemed like a good day had suddenly turned very confusing. He was just about to give up and consign himself to wander around for awhile when he noticed something again. Right across the street from him was Ucchan's!

Maybe Ukyo knows what's going on, Ryoga thought. Of course she should be at school too, but at this point who knew? He just hoped he did not get lost walking over there!

Mercifully Ryoga was able to keep his sense of direction long enough that he was able to walk up to the door of the shop. He tried opening the door but he realized it was locked. With his strength, Ryoga could have very easily broken the lock even if by mistake, but he was careful not to. Unhappy that his potential lead had quickly turned cold, he was about to leave when he heard a voice come out from behind the door.

"Hello? Is someone there?"

Ryoga did not recognize the voice at first. It was not Ukyo's, but it sounded feminine. Then he remembered about Ukyo's assistant Konatsu, the cross-dressing ninja who helped her run the shop. Ryoga called back to Konatsu stating his name, and the ninja opened up the door to the shop.

"Mr. Ryoga, how pleasant it is to see you here in Nerima again!" Konatsu said, his face beaming with happiness. "You have been missing for quite some time, and everyone was starting to wonder what had happened to you."

"The usual," Ryoga replied in a somewhat embarrassed tone, "I managed to stay in Japan the whole time though." Considering some of his other misadventures, he could at least be thankful for that much.

"Well good for you Mr. Ryoga." Konatsu said without a trace of irony, "Mistress Ukyo will be happy to see you."

"Yeah, about that Konatsu; Ukyo is at school, right?"

"Of course Mr. Ryoga, it is a school day, and Furinkan is open as far as I know."

"So she wouldn't happen to know why Ranma, Akane, and Nabiki are out of school today."

"Whatever are you talking about Mr. Ryoga? As far as I know, no one was supposed to be absent today." Konatsu turned down his head for a moment to think about it. A slight frown formed on his lips, and he shook his head. "I must admit though, I am a little bit out of the loop. If Mr. Ranma and the Tendo sisters were planning something, and they did tell the Mistress, she may simply not have told me. I am sorry that I cannot be of further help."

"Don't worry about it Konatsu. I'm going to figure this out myself, even if I have to wander the whole city!" To emphasize his determination, Ryoga raised his fist into the air.

"Please Mr. Ryoga; there is no need to do that! The Mistress will be back at the shop during lunchtime to check on things. If you are willing to wait a few hours, you can ask her then about what happened!" Konatsu was very worried. If Ryoga wandered off, it might take weeks before he ever found Nerima again, and the ninja had a feeling his master would want to hear about the news regarding her erstwhile fiancé.

"Well alright then, I didn't think of it that way." Ryoga grumbled as he walked into Ucchan's. He walked over to one of the tables and pulled out a seat for himself. "Are you sure that this is okay though Konatsu? I don't want to interfere with business or anything like that."

"It is not a problem at all Mr. Ryoga! We do not get many customers before lunchtime anyway, and while you wait, I will prepare for you a meal in honor of your return. It is the least I can do for a guest!" Konatsu scurried behind the counter and went back into the kitchen for a moment to fetch some ingredients. Ryoga took the opportunity to think some more about what he had seen.

Ranma hated school, but he would never skip it without a good reason. Were he and Akane in danger? Perhaps Ryoga could have helped them if he had shown up a day or two earlier. The whole thing was driving him crazy, and the more he thought of it the more agitated he became.

Konatsu peeked out from behind the kitchen entrance to see that Ryoga was still there. What a relief, he thought; Mistress Ukyo would kill me if I let Mr. Ryoga slip away! "I am starting to cook your meal on the stove right now Mr. Ryoga." Konatsu said as he fully emerged from the entrance. "While I have a spare minute, could you explain how you found out Mr. Ranma was not in school?"

Ryoga looked over Konatsu and sighed a bit. Maybe going over the whole thing over with another person would help him figure it out. He started to explain to Konatsu how he arrived back in Nerima, and the bus he saw carrying coming down the street just a few minutes later…

* * *

"All the pieces are falling into place."

"I agree, after more than a year of planning, the stage is set for the grand finale!"

"Tell me," the original speaker continued, "Have the invitations been all sent out?"

"Yes, some of the fighters should have received them by now." Another voice replied, this one female. "The others will have them within a few weeks."

"Then we must make sure that the construction of the arena is proceeding apace. Botan, please make sure our "benefactor" keeps things on track."

"As you wish my lord, it will be done." Botan, the female who had spoken earlier, bowed deeply to her master and disappeared into the shadows.

The Master shuffled in his chair for a moment, deep in thought.

"What troubles you my lord?" asked yet another shadowy figure, this one with a deep thundering voice like that of a series of grenades exploding.

"I was thinking Mukai, the level of competition at the past few tournaments has been quite high, but I think it could stand to have some new blood injected into the mix. After all, the more fighters we have, the easier it will be to find those suitable for our goals. Do you not agree?"

"If you wish it my lord, of course I will make it so." Mukai said. "But who would you have in mind?"

"I have several names that I think hold promise." the Master said as he produced a list from his robes. "Most of them are located in the United States, a few are in Europe, and then there is this one from Japan."

Mukai took the list from his lord and looked over the names on it. The name from Japan caught his interest immediately.

"My lord, this one is quite young and unproven, relatively speaking. He shows immense potential, but are you sure it is worth bringing him into the tournament?"

"Mukai, there are events about to unfold that I think will prove this boy's worthiness. At any rate, prepare an invitation for him."

"As you wish my lord, I shall contact all of your choices… including the Saotome boy."

End Chapter

_So, do you like how things are coming along? Please Review! All viewpoints are welcome, though I already have this fic planned out very carefully, so I'm not sure if I will be able to incorporate all of the ideas I receive. Still, your opinion is valued greatly!_

_See you next week!_


	3. Incident in Odaiba

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all associated licensers. The King of Fighters and it associated series are the property of SNK-Playmore and all associated licensers. This is not a work for profit. I claim no rights to the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Continuity for Ranma is mostly derived from the manga, with some of the anime sprinkled in for good measure. Continuity for the King of Fighters is a modified form of the current story, how that is should be explained in story, but I am willing to explain for those with further questions.

Enjoy!

Chapter 3

Ranma, Akane, and Nabiki reached Nerima Station by nine-thirty in the morning. Nabiki had hoped they could have arrived even earlier, but the bus had shown up five minutes late, and the stupid driver had taken his sweet time getting to the station. She should have demanded some of the bus fee back, but did not want to waste more time than she already had.

The best way to get to Odaiba from Nerima was by train. Unfortunately, there was no direct line connecting the two wards, and Nabiki knew that to get to their destination, she and her companions would have to make multiple transfers to Route 11 (the line that led directly to Odaiba) in Central Tokyo. Transfers would take time, and the event at the Tokyo Big Sight was scheduled to start at one in the afternoon, give or take a few minutes. Three and a half hours would probably give them more than enough time to arrive in Odaiba, but that still did not take into account the time it would take to walk over to the convention center, or that thousands of other people were heading towards the same destination. It was going to be a close call by any measure, and if they screwed up, Nabiki knew full well another opportunity like this might never come. So if she had to play the bad guy to get her sister and Ranma there on time, so be it. She never really cared what others thought of her anyway.

Thankfully, the trip went far smoother then the bus ride. The small group made their transfers smoothly thanks to Nabiki's superb time-management skills. They reached Odaiba a quarter before noon. Now all they had to do was reach the Big Sight with enough time to gain admission before the convention hall filled up past capacity.

"We doing good on time Nabiki?" asked Ranma.

"It would have been better if we had arrived even earlier, but there was no way we could leave our neighborhood before a certain hour without raising suspicions. Let's just hope that the report I read online about the hall not opening before twelve-thirty is true, otherwise this is already a bust."

"Well then, I guess I have to speed things up for us." Ranma said with a gleam in his eyes. Before Akane and Nabiki could even reply as to what he meant, he picked both of them up, one on each of his shoulders. "Ranma Saotome, taking off!" and with that he ran at full speed towards the convention center, the map precariously hanging from his lip. Needless to say, more than a few of the pedestrians looking at this spectacle were left speechless. After all, this was not Nerima.

After only a few minutes of high speed travel via the Ranma Express, the three teenagers reached their destination. Ranma put both Akane and Nabiki down gently, earning a playful sock from the former and an annoyed stare from the latter. They all took a look at the Tokyo Big Sight in all of its glory, the gleaming steel and glass construction rising far above them.

"It's far larger then I imagined it would be." Akane said in awe.

"Your tax dollars at work." Nabiki quipped.

"We don't pay taxes, and even if we did, you'd find some sort of way to weasel out of it." Ranma said in a rather annoyed tone.

"Details, details. Now let's get on line while we still can."

The line was huge, just as Nabiki had worried it would be. It would not be so bad when she channeled all of the money these fans had into her pockets of course, but right now it was a major hindrance to Ranma getting close to Kyo Kusanagi. There had to be something they could do.

Suddenly a voice boomed out over the speaker system lining the walls of the convention hall.

"Doors will be opening in two minutes, please proceed in an orderly fashion into the building. Admission will be free, but the doors will close if the building reaches beyond safe capacity as determined by staff. Thank you for listening and have a wonderful day."

Nabiki became even more worried. Did they get here early enough? Or would they be shut out when the hall reached capacity? She looked over to Ranma, and saw not a glimmer of doubt on his face.

That guy really thinks that this is all going to go down without a hitch, Nabiki thought. She had to admit, for the first time since she met Ranma, she actually envied him. Not many people had that kind of confidence and conviction when things looked down. Or maybe he was just stupid; Nabiki could not discount that option.

The doors to then convention hall opened up quickly. The trio entered the hall as quickly as they could. Huge crowds of fans had completely mobbed the place, and progress quickly bogged down despite the efforts of the hall's staff to keep things orderly. Nabiki realized there was simply no way that they would be able to get a good seat for the conference, and that was as bad as being shut out. She looked over to her sister and Ranma again, but was shocked to see the pigtailed martial artist was gone.

"Akane!" Nabiki yelled.

Akane responded in a panic. "He just leaped over the people in front of us, Nabiki! I didn't have time to react."

That Ranma, Nabiki thought as she smiled to herself. He really was prepared to do anything to accomplish his goal. Good, because it just turned what could have been a bust into a gold mine.

With a combination of graceful movements and a little brute force, Ranma was able to quickly cut through the mass of humanity towards the front rows. He moved so quickly that the convention hall staff did not even notice him cutting. The Tendo sisters were left behind, and while Ranma regretted leaving Akane like that (especially with Nabiki), if he had any hope of pulling this off it needed to be this way. As he got closer to the center of the hall Ranma could start to see the main stage set up for the conference.

A quick glance seemed to confirm that Kyo Kusanagi had not yet come onto the stage, which meant Ranma had at least a little bit of time to figure how he was going to issue his challenge. Looking around himself, Ranma noticed there were relatively few security guards stationed around the hall. Not too surprising, seeing as this was a news conference for a martial artist. Ranma decided if Kusanagi had been too afraid to confront his fans without an army of bodyguards, then he would not have been worth the effort to confront in the first place.

There were several other people already on the stage. One was a middle-aged man with graying hair, a neat black business suit, and thick rimmed glasses right out the 1950's. He was sitting near the center of a long table set up for the participants in the conference. He seemed to be some sort of official, shuffling a small pile of papers in front of him on the long table. There were two other guys sitting at the table as well, both looked like foreigners. One was a White man with blond hair, and the other had a swarthy look to him with long dark hair tied into a pony tail. Both were dressed rather informally and Ranma was not quite sure who they were. Maybe the opponents brought in to fight Kusanagi in that exhibition match? Who knew, and at any rate that was not Ranma's concern.

Some stage techs were making last-minute adjustments to the lights around the stage. The official finally stopped fidgeting with his papers and brought them up with him to the microphone located on a small podium located just in front of the table. After clearing his throat and waiting for the audience to settle down, he began to speak.

"Good afternoon everyone, I hope you had a pleasant time getting here, and that the conditions in the hall are bearable. I am Masuharu Kuroki, the commissioner of the Japanese National Committee for Mixed-Martial Arts. I am extremely honored to be here with you today for the official contract signing of what promises to be a most memorable event for Japanese martial arts!

"As I am sure all of you are aware, our four-time World Champion, Mr. Kyo Kusanagi has returned to his homeland after several years of absence. During that time he pursued his training, as well as continuing to appear in a number of martial arts tournaments to represent our nation. But now, for the first time in almost five years, Mr. Kusanagi will be holding an exhibition match for the benefit of his Japanese fans right here on our home soil!"

Thunderous applause broke out as Kuroki finished his introduction, and Ranma was taken aback by the reaction. Was Kyo Kusanagi really that popular? It seemed hard for Ranma to accept that some guy who he not even heard of until a few days ago was this famous, and he felt more than a little twinge of jealousy that some street fighter was held with such high esteem. While Genma had sometimes tried to prod Ranma into fighting for money in underground martial arts competitions in seedy halls in Okinawa and Hong Kong, among other places, Ranma always refused. If Genma was a screw up who often got the both of them into financial trouble, Ranma was not going to become some sort of gladiator to get his daily bread, at least if he could help it. It was bloodsport after all, and Ranma had no use for that. Yet here he was about to challenge a street fighting champion! This was not about money though, decided Ranma, this was a question of honor. The world had to learn about the strength of Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu, even if it meant risking it all in this situation!

Kuroki adjusted his glasses, and spoke once again.

"Now, it is with _great_ pleasure that I introduce to you our champion, Mr. Kyo Kusanagi!"

The audience broke out into wild applause once again, and some sort of music started playing over the speaker system in the hall. It sounded like some sort of corny J-Rock track to Ranma, but he would be the first to admit he was no expert on such matters. Besides, his attention was fixed entirely on the man who was now coming out from the back corner entrance of the hall, heading his way up to the podium. Kyo Kusanagi had arrived.

Now having a chance to look at him in person, Ranma revised his impression of Kusanagi towards a more favorable view. He was rather tall and solidly built, and he carried himself like a true martial artist; relaxed, but ready at a moment's notice to spring into action. He had a calm and confident look in his eyes and seemed well aware of his strength, but not conceited about it. He would make an excellent opponent, no doubt about that.

Kyo stepped up to the podium as Kuroki graciously stepped aside to let the fighter give his speech. Kyo looked appreciatively at his fans, well aware that he had not had a chance to interact with them in quite some time. It had been hard on him to stay away from Japan for such a long period. Of course, he was an Osakan boy by birth, but Tokyo was alright in his book too.

"Greetings, Tokyo!" Kyo shouted out to the crowd. They roared out once more in approval.

"Been a while, hasn't it? Sorry about that, things just kept coming up, you know? But I'm really glad to be home!" More applause accompanied these remarks.

"I'll admit I don't know how long I'm going to be able to stay this time. But hey, as long as I'm here, let's make the best of it right?" Kyo continued as fans in the crowd continued to scream out in joy.

Ranma had been standing right near the front row the whole time, and he could not agree with Kusanagi more. He had been carefully waiting for the moment when he could issue his challenge, and now seemed as good a time as any to do so. He cleared his throat, and summoned his ki into his chest in preparation for a shouting technique that he had observed and learned from more senior martial artists in Nerima, like Soun and Happosai, over the past year. It would _definitely_ get Kyo Kusanagi's attention, even with all the sound filling the hall.

"Yo! Kyo Kusanagi! I, Ranma Saotome of the Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu challenge you to a match!" Ranma screamed at the top of his lungs, projecting his aura outward. The hall came to a dead silence from the declaration. Kyo's attention was immediately directed toward the powerful new presence he detected no more than a few meters from him. Whoever had just shouted at him was _strong_, and meant serious business.

* * *

"I have to say Konatsu; you sure know how to cook." Ryoga said as he rubbed his belly, "I'd say your food is as good as Ukyo's!"

"Well thank you Mr. Ryoga!" the ninja beamed. He had been practicing quite hard to improve his cooking skills. "I consider that a compliment of the highest order!'

"Don't mention it. Hey, what time is it anyway? Is Ukyo getting back soon or what?"

"Let me see," Konatsu said as he looked at the clock behind him, "It's just after twelve, Mistress Ukyo should be on her lunch period by now. I would say she should be checking in on us at any minute."

"That's good. Hey Konatsu, is that a TV set over in the corner?" Ryoga said, pointing at a black box bolted into the ceiling. "I don't seem to remember there being one in here."

"You are correct. We just bought it last month, while you were still traveling. Normally we only turn it on when we formally open for business, for the benefit of the customers. Why? Is there anything you would like to watch?"

"Kind of… see when I get lost, I often find it hard to keep track of the news. I guess I'd just like to see what's going on in the world before Ukyo gets here."

"Ask and you shall receive Mr. Ryoga." Konatsu walked over to the set and turned it on to one of the local channels with the midday news. The image flickered on and the sound began to blare from the set. A news anchor sat behind her desk with a serious expression on her face.

"We have breaking news now out of the Odaiba. A strange young man has crashed a news conference involving former martial arts champion Kyo Kusanagi and is trying to engage him in a fight. A local film crew is bringing in live footage from the incident now."

"Wow, sounds serious over there." Ryoga said thoughtfully. "What kind of maniac would do that sort of thing anyway?"

"It is a strange and sad world that we live in Mr. Ryoga."

A second later, images of the scene began to play on the TV screen. Ryoga and Konatsu could see the conference was packed with people looking on with awe at something. Then another image flashed on the screen; this one had two men staring each other down on a small stage. Ryoga looked at their faces.

"Well I guess one of those guys is that champion." Ryoga said out aloud. He scanned his eyes over the screen more carefully "The other one… Holy crap, it's Ranma!"

"It is Mr. Saotome!" Konatsu concurred.

At that moment, Ukyo Kuonji walked back into her restaurant after having left Furinkan High for the lunch period. She had tried looking for her beloved Ranchan before leaving, but she could not find him or Akane anywhere. The whole thing troubled Ukyo greatly, and she was not in the best mood.

"Hey Konatsu, you would not believe the day I've been having so far." Ukyo said as she walked past the door. Konatsu looked at her somewhat anxiously, and Ukyo noticed Ryoga was in the restaurant as well, his eyes fixed on the TV screen in the corner of the room.

"What's going on here you two?" Ukyo asked in a very annoyed tone.

Ryoga turned around with a wide-eyed expression on his face. Ukyo was concerned, Ryoga looked badly shaken, and that was a rare thing.

"Ukyo, you might want to sit down and watch this with us."

* * *

Meanwhile, a few hundred feet back, near the entrance to the hall, Akane was standing in a state of mortification at what had just happened. This was how Ranma was going to challenge Kyo Kusanagi? In the middle of the damn conference? She figured he would show a little bit of commonsense and wait until he could approach Kusanagi during the after-session meeting with the fans to politely ask him about a potential sparring match, but this? And then Akane remembered that this was Ranma she was talking about, and she should have assumed from the very beginning he would do something this crazy and brazen. For Pete's sake, his name meant _wild horse_!

"Ah yes, just as I expected, this is going to be huge!" Nabiki beamed, "The gambling fees and potential merchandising opportunities are limitless!"

"Nabiki! Please!" Akane screamed at her sister, "Ranma's about to get arrested and we might be going to jail with him!"

"Well I'm not paying bail, I'll tell you that right now. And if he fails I'll disavow any knowledge of how he got here." Nabiki said nonchalantly.

"Do you really think that's going to work?" Akane replied in an exasperated tone.

"Who are you again?"

"Nabiki!" Akane screamed as she entered a full-blown panic.

While the Tendo sisters were still in the midst of their argument, Ranma and Kyo continued their tense showdown. Ranma suddenly made a quick and powerful leap towards the podium, landing gracefully on both feet. He was suddenly very close to Kyo, and for his part Kyo could start to assess this young warrior who had come seemingly out of nowhere to fight him.

He's strong, I'll give him that, thought Kyo. This kid with the pony-tail dressed in Chinese clothing did not look all that impressive compared to some of the downright monstrous opponents he had faced over the years, but experience had taught Kyo not to underestimate an opponent by their outer appearance. After all, Yagami looked pretty damn silly the first time Kyo had met him, and look how that turned out…

"Hey are you going to answer me, Kyo Kusanagi?" Ranma said, finally breaking the silence, "A true martial artist would say something one way or the other."

Meanwhile, standing off to the side was Kuroki, utterly stunned at the spectacle that had emerged at what was supposed to be a straight forward and happy event. Never a man who enjoyed his plans being tampered with, he gathered up his wits and quickly took action to see that this impudent young thug who had dared to disrupt the ceremony would be promptly ejected from the building.

"Security! Security! Restrain that man there and call the police!" Kuroki roared, "This breech of protocol will not be tolerated!"

"Police?" Ranma acted with surprise. "They're going to arrest me? That never happens in Nerima!"

"Nerima?" Kyo responded, "You're from Nerima kid?"

"Yeah, and I'm no kid pal, the name is Ranma Saotome and I'm seventeen!"

"Funny, I was still a kid when I was seventeen."

"Maybe that's because you were a dork!" Ranma smirked. He would just have to goad Kusanagi into this fight.

Kyo almost lost his cool on that remark, but again the past couple of years had taught him not to succumb to his anger so easily. "Well, Ranma was it?" he started as he took a better look at the teenager, "I guess if back then I had your brilliant fashion sense, I would have been one of the cool kids, but I was too busy winning martial arts competitions to be concerned about my grooming!"

"Don't mock my looks Kusanagi, this is serious."

"Then why are you acting like an impulsive brat?"

"To show the strength of my fighting style, and to show people you aren't all that!"

"Well," Kyo began, "At least you're honest. That's a good trait, if rather annoying. I'll be glad to take you up on the challenge!"

Kuroki was shocked by this turn of events, "Mr. Kusanagi! This is unacceptable, what about your exhibition match? How can you put that aside to fight some delinquent? Your fans will be crushed! And what about the money for the charities! Please, security will escort this boy outside where the police can handle him, just leave it at that!"

"Don't worry about it Mr. Kuroki," Kyo said, "Besides, this "boy" is a little out of the league of your security, or the police for that matter! But I'll handle him, and once I do, I will honor my obligation and have the exhibition match, after all I wouldn't want to disappoint Sak…"

"You seem to be pretty confident there guys, rescheduling my fight like that. But I've got an opinion on this too you know."

Ranma, Kyo and everyone else's attention were now taken by that comment. Ranma scanned quickly to see who had said it. His eyes quickly settled on the blond foreigner at the table who had been until now silent. On closer inspection, the guy had a weird look to him, with his face having a vaguely Japanese look to it, and his bright golden blond hair making him look like some kind of street punk. Ranma had an instant dislike for him.

Ranma quickly snapped back at the foreigner, "Why don't you butt out of this pal? I'm talking to Kusanagi here."

"I'm Mr. Kusanagi's opponent for the upcoming exhibition match, so excuse me if I have an issue with you wanting to fight him first like it's your God-given right!" The foreigner angrily retorted.

"I'd probably give him a better fight then you anyway." Ranma replied, giving the blond man a sly glance.

"You trying to say I'm weak kid?"

"I'm saying you're some no-name foreign fighter. I'm only interested in fighting the champion, and you aren't him."

Great, thought Kyo, that punk really did it now, insulting Sakazaki like that. This was going to turn into an all-out brawl any minute, and for once Kyo didn't start it!

"Sakazaki" started speaking once again, "You know, I've been told Japan is a nation where the people pride themselves on their manners, but I guess there's always some wiseacre who wants to prove himself the exception to the rule, right Robert?"

"Don't bring me into this Ryo, I'm just an innocent spectator to all this." replied Robert, the swarthy man with the long pony-tail.

"Some best friend you are!" replied Ryo, "Geez, remind me not to get you a Christmas present!"

"You never get me a Christmas present! You're always broke!"

"And you have to go rub it in my face again! Way to go Bob!"

"Don't call me Bob!"

"Then stop calling me poor, and stop dating my sister!"

Robert rolled his eyes as his friend brought up that issue. "Again with that? Yuri and I are both adults, and we can do what we want without you and your big brother complex getting…"

"Hey!" screamed Ranma, furious that these weird guys had derailed his moment of glory so badly, "Are you mocking me or something? Cut out the comedy routine!" He could hear the crowd snickering behind him.

"Hey, I was just having a lively debate with my ex-best friend here, Mr.… Uh… Samtami, was it? You don't have to get your panties in a bunch there, sunshine." Ryo replied in a calm, off-hand fashion.

That comment about "panties" cut into Ranma far deeper then Ryo could have ever known. For the first time in quite a while, the uglier, pettier side of Ranma emerged from deep within him. He knew as a martial artist there were certain rules of conduct you do not cross when extending a challenge, heated words aside. But this strange foreigner with the sharp wit had pushed him more than anyone since Saffron and the incident with Akane at Jusenkyo. It was petty to even compare the scale of the incidents, but still…

"You know what pal? I'll take a guess and say your school of martial arts must be the "Loud Mouth" style, 'cause it seems to me that's all you've got."

"Are you serious?" replied Ryo, "You break into here uninvited, try to steal my match, and now you've got the gall to badmouth my family's fighting style? You need a thrashing punk, a good thorough one. It'll help clear out those delusions in your head that you're something special, because I can tell you right now you're not!"

Kyo tried to defuse the situation as best he could, "Hey, Ryo, I can handle this, besides he challenged me first."

"Sorry Kyo, this isn't your fight anymore, he didn't insult your whole family and fighting style, and I'm always itching to show off my power to overconfident punks anyway."

"Well, I guess I'll just have to take you down first Loud Mouth, and then I'll move on to Kusanagi." Ranma looked at Ryo hard.

"Don't write that man off so easy, Saotome," Kyo interjected, "If you think he's some sort of second-class martial artist then…"

"I can introduce myself Kyo," Ryo said, "And "Mr." Saotome here better burn it into his memory. I'm the former North American Champion and current acting instructor of the Kyokugen School of Karate, Ryo Sakazaki. Some people like to call me "the Invincible Dragon", but I don't put much stock in fancy nicknames. Pleasure to meet you."

On opposite sides of the convention hall, Akane Tendo and Masuharu Kuroki were both in the midst of falling into full-blown shock. Nabiki just kept on adding up all of the money in her head.

End Chapter

_Due to the holidays, I will not be posting the next chapter until after New Year's Day. I will continue working on the fic during that time however, so I promise you everything will be ready by then. Have a Merry (insert approved holiday name here) and a great start to 2010! _


	4. Emergency Meeting

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all associated licensers. The King of Fighters and it associated series are the property of SNK-Playmore and all associated licensers. This is not a work for profit. I claim no rights to the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Continuity for Ranma is mostly derived from the manga, with some of the anime sprinkled in for good measure. Continuity for the King of Fighters is a modified form of the current story, how that is should be explained in story, but I am willing to explain for those with further questions.

Enjoy!

Chapter 4

Akane felt like smacking Ranma across the head. He really deserved it this time too, and God only knows it would have made her feel better. There was just that one little issue of the cops who were standing no more than a few feet behind her. She did not feel like testing the officers' patience after they had been so nice about the whole incident. Still, if Mr. Kusanagi and Mr. Sakazaki had not managed to convince Mr. Kuroki to not press charges, Akane would have almost certainly been joining Ranma for a night in the local police station's holding tank after her erstwhile fiancé had casually mentioned to the officers just who had brought him to the audience hall. Nabiki tried her best to deny any culpability, but she was probably saved as well by the actions of the two martial art champions.

Really, Mr. Kusanagi was truly gracious about the whole thing. Akane could see why his fans were so devoted to him. He even offered to give Akane the money for the train ride back home, seeing as how she had been forced to spend nearly her whole weekly allowance just getting to Odaiba. Akane respectfully declined however, she could not in good conscience take any money from a man who had been accosted by her fiancé _and_ had saved her from being arrested.

Mr. Sakazaki on the other hand…

Well he had helped too, but now Ranma had to fight him as part of the settlement made by the two parties. Akane could understand where Mr. Sakazaki was coming from, Ranma had insulted his family's martial art school, and that could not be overlooked. If someone had insulted the Tendo's family dojo, she would have been furious as well, and demanded a match to restore her honor. But did Mr. Sakazaki really know what he was getting himself into? Akane had no idea how strong he was, but she knew just how powerful and destructive Ranma could be in a fight. Someone could get seriously hurt in this match, and Akane had no idea just who that would turn out to be.

Of course even more distressing was that the whole incident had been broadcasted on live television! Apparently Ranma, clueless as ever, had not bothered to notice that his challenge to Mr. Kusanagi was filmed in front of a crew of cameramen who were originally there to tape the contract ceremony on behalf of Tokyo's major broadcasting stations. Now the whole country had probably learned of the incident! Akane could have died of embarrassment, but she was even more worried how her father and Kasumi were going to react when she got home. She would probably get out of it in one piece, but all of her friends at school and her various rivals would know about this too, and the whole thought of it was enough to make her sick.

Ranma really did need a good beating for this.

Akane was broken out of her thoughts by the conversation behind her. She could hear Mr. Sakazaki yelling at Ranma.

"So you've got that straight kid? Three days from now at 10 AM at Shakujii Park. I'll have everything set up on my end. You just be sure to show up!"

"Shakujii Park? I've beaten up a lot of chumps over there!" declared Ranma, "I couldn't think of a better place to show you up!"

"Don't make any declarations about your power until you've witness Kyokugen Karate in action, tyro!"

"Tyro? What sort of word is that? Are your techniques as weird as your choice of words?"

Nabiki watched as the two newly minted rivals traded words with one another. Good grief, she thought to herself, those two are acting like a pair of pro-wrestlers going at it on a weekend show. It was all for the best though, she could make a ton of money off this feud. Maybe even as much as if Ranma had gotten a match with Kyo Kusanagi. Depending on how he did against Sakazaki, he still could.

Akane walked up next to her sister and made a motion to her watch, "It's getting late Nabiki, we need to get Ranma and get on the train back to Nerima now. We're in enough trouble as it is!"

"OK, no problem. I do hate breaking up the boys when they're having so much fun though."

"Nabiki…" Akane growled.

Off to the side, Kyo and Mr. Kuroki were having a conversation of their own.

"Are you absolutely sure this is okay Mr. Kusanagi?"

"Yeah, there's nothing to worry about. Robert said he'd cover for Ryo in the exhibition match, so everything's good."

"That's not what I meant, Kyo Kusanagi."

"Uh, I don't quite get your meaning."

"You came back to Japan on very short notice. I appreciate that you went through the trouble of doing all of this for us Mr. Kusanagi, but I have a suspicion that you had other motives for returning home, am I right?"

Kyo cocked a smile and shrugged a bit, "Well don't worry, I will honor my commitments."

"I will only say this; if what I think is happening again is true, then be very careful Mr. Kusanagi. Many people in this country care deeply for you. I will admit I am one of them."

Kyo's smile softened a bit at that remark. "I appreciate that Mr. Kuroki. Don't worry; I'll make sure that trust is well deserved." And with that he walked off to get some fresh air for himself. It really had been an interesting day.

* * *

The Tendo household was in a state of chaos by the time Akane came back home with her sister and fiancé. It was already after nine o'clock in the evening, and just as Akane had feared, the whole cast of usual suspects had shown up to wait for the return of the trio. There was Ukyo, Konatsu, Shampoo, Mousse, Cologne, the Kuno siblings (oh how Akane despised those two!), and surprisingly enough Ryoga. She had not seen him in Nerima for a while; he must have just gotten back. Ranma's mother Nodoka was there too. It could have been worse Akane supposed, there were no signs of Happosai or Hinako-sensei. Those two would have made a bad situation even worse.

"Oh horrors! What has that horrible delinquent of a son of yours done to my daughters now Saotome!" Soun Tendo exclaimed in his typically melodramatic fashion. The scary thing was that his tone (for once) was appropriate for the situation.

"My apologies Tendo; my idiot boy has really done it this time." Genma said, trying his best to look the part of a responsible parent. It really did not suit him, seeing as he had never done much to impress any sort of manners on Ranma while raising him, but he had to do something… his wife was here!

Nodoka was sitting next to Kasumi, their faces devoid of their usual smiles. For Akane that was terrifying. For those two not to be smiling, it must mean that she really was in a world of trouble.

"How do people think Airen is the one wrong?" Shampoo contributed in her typically garbled Japanese. "Maybe money girl is at fault. She do stuff like this all the time!"

"Shampoo, silence!" Cologne shouted to her great-granddaughter. "We are only here to observe, the final decision for punishment lies in the hands of others." Akane sighed in relief on hearing that, at least that took one group out of the equation.

Akane then noticed Mousse, who was sitting off to the side of the room. His expression was inscrutable; no doubt aided by those ridiculously thick coke-bottle glasses of his. Akane wondered what his view on all this was. She knew that he and Ranma had become sort of friends over the past several months, despite the fact that Mousse bitterly resented Shampoo's love for Ranma. Maybe he would be a hidden ally? Or perhaps Akane was giving him too much credit.

It was at this point that Furinkan High's resident kendo master and master moron Tatewaki Kuno decided to add his own thoughts on the issues.

"The actions of the foul warlock Saotome must be punished with the most severe means possible! I, Tatewaki Kuno, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High demand it! And for the record, if I were the one given the honor to distribute said punishment, you would find no one who would be happier!"

"Oh for the love of God, who invited this guy here!" Ranma complained. Like he needed Kuno's theatrics after everything else that happened today. More than that though, who thought it was a good idea to invite a pervert like Kuno into the house?

"Consider it part of your punishment boy, for all the trouble you've caused us." Genma said, trying even harder now to act parental.

"And what happens if he decides to start chasing after the girls?" asked Ranma.

"You would accuse me, Tatewaki Kuno, of not treating the fair ladies in this house in anything less than an honorable manner? That is it Saotome! You have crossed a line that is beyond all normal ideas of morality! For your innumerable crimes against the fair Akane Tendo, the pigtailed girl, all other women in the world, and my own character, I shall smite thee with my power on behalf of the assembled!" Kuno then paused for a moment, if only to regain his breath. Then something else dawned on him. "By the way, has anyone seen the pigtailed girl? She seems to be missing from all this. Could it be? Could Saotome have done something horrible to her on top of all of his other heinous acts! This is unforgivable, and I for one will not stand…"

Kuno never got a chance to finish his speech. A well-timed dart slammed into his neck, the powerful sedative that it was laced with quickly put him into a deep slumber. Everyone else in the room watched as Mousse sat back down into his original spot, pulling his hands back into his flowing white robes.

"Mousse! Stupid boy! I told you not to interfere!" Cologne said as she angrily stared at her young charge.

Mousse was unfazed by her anger, which was unusual. "What? I have to suffer that buffoon's ramblings as well? Elder, I thought this was supposed to be _Ranma's_ punishment."

Cologne huffed at Mousse's remark. That boy was getting too mouthy, to the point where the old woman had trouble keeping him in check even with violence. Life in Japan was making him ever more defiant to her authority with each passing day. However, the old woman concluded this was neither the time nor place to start making an issue of it. The fate of Shampoo's engagement to Ranma was in peril with these new developments, if for no other reason than Ranma having failed to inform Shampoo of his plans, and on top of that bringing the Tendo girl with him to Odaiba!

Mousse looked across the room towards Akane and Ranma. He noticed that Akane was looking at him, and hoping to assure the girl, he gave her a faint smile. She smiled back at him, encouraged by his support, even if it was indirect.

Of course Mousse did not approve of what Ranma had done, it was damn foolish, but he was an ally of sorts. They had started as fierce rivals, but over time Ranma had earned Mousse's respect both as a martial artist and a friend, not something that Mousse had much experience with in the past. Ranma had also helped save both Mousse and Shampoo's lives on a number of occasions, and for that Mousse gave his gratitude, even if was begrudgingly. So even if it invoked Cologne's wrath, he would do as much as he could do to improve the situation.

Mousse then looked over at Ryoga Hibiki. Ryoga's eyes were closed shut, his face tightened in a state of extreme concentration. Mousse could tell that Ryoga's thoughts were extremely conflicted, his concern for Akane in conflict with his friendship with Ranma. What decision would he come to?

By this time, Nabiki was trying to find a way to defuse the whole situation to her advantage. That meant getting Ranma off the hook as well, since she still had a lot riding on him fighting Ryo Sakazaki in their match at Shakujii. If Ranma ended up grounded in his room or barred from fighting, then everything was lost.

"Father, Mr. Tendo" Nabiki began, trying to muster as must respect in her voice as she could; through she was long out of practice. "You do realize that Ranma did this all for both of you?"

"Wha…" Ranma was ready to object, but Nabiki's hand shot out over his mouth before he could screw things up. This had to be dealt with carefully, and Nabiki had to have complete control of the situation.

"What Ranma was trying to say, and what I want to make clear, is that he did this not to bring shame to you, but to bring glory for yourselves and the school of Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu."

"And how would making a spectacle on national television do that?" Soun asked, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

Well at least I have my father's attention now, Nabiki thought. Now she just had to develop her case further, and she might actually come out on top of this.

"But do you not see? Our school now has more exposure then it has ever had in its long and glorious history. Its name is on the lips of all Japanese people! Through his actions, Ranma has revitalized Musabetsu Kakutou!" That's right, lay it on thick. Those geezers loved it that way.

"I guess that is true," Genma said, "but everyone now thinks we are a bunch of violent delinquents!"

Nabiki and Ranma both inwardly cringed at that remark. Like Genma had worked so hard to project a positive image of the school!

"Yes, for the moment that is true," Nabiki continued," but Ranma is now engaged to take on a martial arts master in an official match!"

"Another engagement?" Kuno mumbled as he began to regain consciousness. "It must be magic."

"It is not that kind of engagement brother." Kodachi hissed. "Stop acting like an idiot."

"Wait, the boy actually got a match out of this?" Genma's mood brightened considerably at this revelation. The news reports had not included this information. "Was it against this Kusanagi fellow he challenged?

"Not exactly, however the man that Ranma will fight is a rival of Kusanagi, and a martial arts champion in his own right. His name is Ryo Sakazaki and he is a master of Kyog… no, Koku…, wait a moment." Nabiki struggled to remember the name. All of those martial arts styles tended to blend in with one another for a laywoman like herself.

"Ah, the little brat's fighting a Kyokugen master, eh? Very interesting indeed."

All in the room turned their attention to the new voice. They all recognized it immediately. That reedy, crackly tone, it could only be…

"You know Ranma has no chance against an opponent like that," said Happosai, the diminutive founder of Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu. He was also a pervert and criminal of the highest order, but you probably knew that already. How or when he snuck into the house was not clear, but what was clear was he wanted his turn in taunting Ranma.

"He should pack it up now, while he still has the chance." The old martial arts master said with a sly tone.

"What would you know you dirty old man!" Ranma yelled, finally breaking free from Nabiki grip.

"A lot more then you boy! You're still not the master around here!"

"Sensei, what do you know of this Kyokugen style?" Soun asked. He was terrified of his old master, but he knew that the old fart was a valuable source of information for more exotic fighting styles.

"More than you ever will, my ever-foolish and ignorant pupils. It's an old style of Karate from Okinawa that was practiced by a family of warriors, the Sakazakis. It uses ki manipulation and intense physical conditioning as its cornerstones. It's nothing compared to my own style, too rigid and limited, but a novice user of Musabetsu Kakutou like little Ranma over there would have trouble fighting an experienced user of Kyokugen."

"Anything else you can tell us master?" Genma asked.

"Come to think of it, I remember hearing the last heir of the Sakazaki family moving to America. That was a long time ago though, before you fools sealed me up for a few decades." The old pervert's voice darkened at that memory.

"Yeah, Mr. Sakazaki is apparently from America." Akane finally spoke, feeling that it was now safe to do so.

"So they did take root in America, very interesting." Happosai mused as his stroked his chin. "It doesn't change my initial thoughts though. Ranma can't win this battle, he will lose."

"Don't underestimate me Happosai! I'm not losing anything yet!" Ranma was ever angrier now. To have his skills as a fighter dismissed, and by an obnoxious little troll like Happosai no less!

"You might have one chance of winning," Happosai said, his eyes turning dark with lust. "Change into that wonderful other form of yours and I will give you some training you'll never forget…" Happosai never got a chance to finish his licentious offer; a chorus of fists arose in perfect harmony to knock him out of the Tendo house in an instant.

"Well that's over, so can we get back to the matter at hand?" Genma asked, trying rather poorly to regain control of the conversation. No one was really interested though.

"Wait a moment," Kuno said with a bewildered look, "Other form? What did that old man speak of Saotome? I was right! You really are a warlock in disg…" Kuno collapsed as another dart hit his neck, again courtesy of Mousse.

"Thank God." said Mousse.

"Is old pervert right? Airen can no win?" Shampoo spoke up, clearly concerned about Happosai's words.

"No way! Ranchan's the strongest, end of story." Ukyo retorted. She had remained quiet until now, trying to contain her anger towards Ranma over being left out of the loop, but she promptly forgot that as she began to bicker with her Chinese rival.

"Now ladies, there is no need to start fighting over this." Soun said as he tried to calm down the situation. "Ranma's strength is not the issue here…"

"SHUT UP OLD MAN!" both of the teenage girls screamed in unison. Soun backed off immediately and nearly fell over himself trying to get away. The argument continued, and Kodachi began to get involved, and then her brother, and then Konatsu, and so on.

"Oh my, thing are getting out of hand quickly here." Kasumi commented.

"Works for me, I take whatever I can get." Nabiki said, confident that she was now off the hook. The whole house quickly began to descend into ever greater chaos.

"Please everyone, stop bickering." Nodoka Saotome finally said in a tone that was quiet, yet _very firm_. She grasped her ceremonial katana for emphasis, and everyone else got the picture. They knew that behind Nodoka's calm façade was a will as strong as the steel of her blade.

"Thank you. Since this meeting seems to be going nowhere, I politely request that everyone who is not a resident of this house please leave for tonight, and that all those who do live here please give me a few minutes alone with my son."

"But my dear wife, this situation..." Genma began.

"No exceptions Genma, not even for you."

"Yes dear." Genma respected (and feared) his wife enough not go against her wishes.

Everyone save for Ranma and Nodoka began to file out of the living room. As Ryoga passed Ranma, he looked his friend in the eyes sternly with an expression that said _we will be talking about this later_. Ranma was not happy about that in the least, but first he would have to survive his mother before facing off with Ryoga.

Once they were alone, Nodoka took a seat on the couch, and motioned for Ranma to join her. He promptly complied. For a few moments there was an awkward silence, and Ranma had to stop himself from squirming. After all, while his mother was not a powerful warrior, she still commanded tremendous authority over him.

"My son," Nodoka started to speak in a voice stern but sad, "What you did today can only be seen as selfish and wrong, and I cannot say that I am proud of your actions. However, I do not believe that Nabiki was completely lying when she said you felt you had good reasons to do so. As your mother, I feel it is my duty to punish you when you do wrong, but it is also my responsibility to understand you as best as possible. Please, explain to me why you acted the way you did. Allow me to understand why you felt it was necessary to risk so much in order to obtain this fight."

Ranma was silent at first, not really knowing what to say. It had seemed easy enough when he had explained it to Akane a few days earlier, but this was different, his judgment was being called into question by a person who he greatly respected. Had he really been that stupid? After about a minute or two of contemplating, Ranma realized he had nothing to lose at this point by just spitting the whole thing out, and so mother and son talked. The conversation went on for several hours, during which time Ranma explained to Nodoka all that which had been bothering him over the past several weeks, about the future of the school, about the stagnation which seemed to have overtaken his life since the failed wedding.

He was surprised by how easily it all came out. He had worked so hard over the years to build himself into his ideal of a great warrior who never exposed his true emotions to anyone, friend or foe. Then again, Ranma had to admit to himself that he had never really lived up to that ideal anyway. For Ranma, it had always been easier to fight then to talk, but maybe that was only because he had never seen the benefit until now, the witty banter he used to throw his enemies off their game during battles notwithstanding.

For her part Nodoka was surprised to hear her son was so troubled. Ranma always put on such a strong front that she had forgotten that while he was growing into a splendid young man, he was still not an adult. She cursed herself for not seeing it earlier. It was only natural for a seventeen-year old to have insecurities, and even though she had not had a chance to do much about it until recently, it was time to start acting like a mother and help her son come to term with his problems.

"Well now, I can certainly see why you came up with such an idea my son." Nodoka said thoughtfully. "I still feel that how you did it was wrong, to say the very least. However, I realize now that much of the blame lies with me as well."

"Mom, please don't go and say stuff like that. I mean, I'm responsible for what I did and all, you didn't know…"

"The fact that I did not know is why I am at fault. I will admit that I have been reunited with you for only a brief time Ranma, but any good mother should know what her child is thinking, what bothers them deep inside. Maybe I was so focused on seeing that you had become a "man among men," as your father promised to me so long ago, that I had forgotten all of the other things that make a decent person. Ranma, to be truly happy in life you need more than just a strong body and a will of iron, you need qualities such as wisdom and good judgment, and inner peace. If I had been more present in your life I could have taught you that, but I let myself go blind to your needs."

"Mom…" Ranma was trying very hard to keep himself composed at this point.

"For now, I am not going to punish you son. This was my disgrace first and foremost, and I will take responsibility for my mistakes as a parent. You however need to focus on getting past your own weaknesses, the weaknesses of character that will destroy any hope of you ever having a happy life if they are not corrected. Also, there is one other thing."

"What Mom?"

"You are going to fight that man whom you challenged, but you are going to do it for yourself, and not anyone else's benefit. If you want to be a man Ranma, you need to start taking responsibility for your actions. This upcoming match will be a lesson for you as much as an opportunity. Keep that in mind when you are fighting."

"I will, mom." Ranma Saotome said with a determined look on his face. "I won't lose. I'll win this for you, for myself, and for the art!"

* * *

Kyo Kusanagi rested in his seat as he looked out the window. It had been a while since he had ridden on a train; in the U.S. it seemed that unless your name was Terry Bogard, everyone preferred driving or flying. The scenery flew by at a remarkable pace. It would not be very long before he was back in Osaka.

That was when the real fun would begin, Kyo thought to himself. Having to reintroduce himself to family and friends after years of sparse and intermittent contact would be painful. Kyo had changed a lot in the past few years; he was not the same brash kid who had left the Kusanagi household in search of adventure and glory. He also wondered if Yuki would be happy to see him, or if he should even try to visit her, Kyo would not hold it against her if she had moved on.

This would be more than some stroll down memory lane though. There was something even more important than all of that. Kyo reached into his jacket's pocket and felt the envelope inside. How many times had he received one of these envelopes? Ten? Did it even matter at this point?

Whatever happens at the next tournament, _I will finish this_, Kyo thought with great determination. Still, there were so many opponents to deal with… it was going to take nothing less than a miracle to stop their sinister plans.

But Kyo Kusanagi was someone who always won the battle when it really mattered, even when it seemed impossible.

End Chapter

_Well, it's a new day and a new year. The holiday break was pretty good if I say so myself, and very productive in terms of my writing._

_There were some questions left in the reviews for the last chapter, so I guess I should address those._

_Ushio: I don't want to downplay Ranma's strength, but let's keep things in perspective. Ranma still had not surpassed Happosai or Cologne by the end of the manga. Maybe in ten years he will, but not at this point. So it's safe to assume that there are others out there who can match or surpass him as well. In fact, there would not be much point to writing this fic if it was about Ranma just bulldozing everyone he comes across._

_Still, you have a point about Genma's skills. I agree he might be able to hold his own against Saisyu (Kyo's father). However Kyo surpassed Saisyu a long time ago in canon, so Genma being able to defeat the elder Kusanagi still does not affect the balance of power too much. Takuma Sakazaki would be another story altogether. Takuma is the guy who produced a ki blast so powerful it deflected a giant laser beam from outer space. Don't remember that? See here:_

_you tube .com/watch?v=VAzlVHVov1E_

_More than that, Takuma is seen by SNK as being roughly equal to Akuma from Street Fighter. He's extremely tough, a true master, and only another master like Happosai or Cologne could fight him when he uses he full power. Good thing Takuma pulls his punches most of the time (because he's such a nice guy)._

_On a more general note, how many people reading this fic are familiar with the King of Fighters mythos? I know some of you are, but if anyone has questions related to the backstory from those games, please feel free to ask. Hopefully the plot will be clear anyway, but it never hurts to clarify._

_That's enough for now. Until next week! _


	5. Wild Horse vs Invincible Dragon

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all associated licensers. The King of Fighters and it associated series are the property of SNK-Playmore and all associated licensers. This is not a work for profit. I claim no rights to the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Continuity for Ranma is mostly derived from the manga, with some of the anime sprinkled in for good measure. Continuity for the King of Fighters is a modified form of the current story, how that is should be explained in story, but I am willing to explain for those with further questions.

Enjoy!

Chapter 5

The next two days passed quickly for Ranma. He spent a good portion of his time in school, where Akane mercilessly kept him focused on his work (her own subtle form of revenge), but otherwise spent every spare moment training for his match. Ryoga volunteered to "prepare" Ranma for his fight, which really meant that he had a convenient excuse to try and beat up his friend while also pumping him for details about what had happened in the past six weeks. The pair managed to catch up on things during that time, and while both were loath to admit it, they really enjoyed being able to get back to their old routine.

Ranma was utterly confident. He was at the top of his game physically and in a far better place emotionally than he had been for months. The fight with Ryo Sakazaki was going to be his big break, he just knew it. Once the world saw a champion like Sakazaki crumble under the power of Ranma's techniques, Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu would be the next big thing in martial arts. Kids would be practically knocking down the doors of the Tendo Dojo to sign up!

Saturday morning arrived with great fanfare. Ranma woke up early, put in some last minute practice, ate a hardy breakfast, and checked the weather just to be absolutely sure that there were no last minute incoming rain storms. The report on TV said there was nary a cloud in sight; Ranma grinned, this really was going to be his day.

* * *

Deep in the heart of Shakujii Park, Ryo was deep in thought. He always meditated before any important match. He had to clear his mind of any anger towards his young opponent so that he could fight at his best. He was failing miserably.

"Damn it all, that little punk really ticks me off! Calling Kyokugen Karate weak! What the hell does he know anyway? Whoever heard of "Musabetsu Kakutou" anyway? What is that even supposed to mean? School of Indiscriminate Grappling? Why doesn't he just call it _Vale Tudo _and be done with it? It's so stupid!"

"That's not really the issue here Ryo. It's more you getting all steamed over some kid mocking you that's a problem."

"Shut up Robert." Ryo replied curtly. "He insulted our school. Don't you have any pride in the teachings of Kyokugen? After all we've struggled through over the past few years; I refuse to let some kid dismiss us."

"You know what I think?" said Robert. "He's a teenager. Teenagers do stupid things. You were a teenager once Ryo, you did stupid things. I know because I was right there with you for a lot of them. You should just let things be. Ask him for an apology, chalk it up to a cultural misunderstanding and be done with it."

"It's not that simple Robert. I'm fighting for the honor of my school, and that kid is doing the same thing for his. He won't back down; he wants to make an example out of me. Well, he's free to try, but he'd better be ready for the consequences!" Ryo struck (what he hoped was) a suitably martial pose to emphasize his point. Robert was not impressed.

"Good grief. You really take things too seriously Ryo. You resemble your father more with each passing day."

"That kooky old man? No way! Take that back! And while you're at it… stop dating my sister!"

Robert groaned as he rubbed his temples. "Really, you are too much, man. Why did I even bother taking up your match with Kusanagi? I didn't come over here to Japan looking for a fight, but thanks to you I got one anyway. I sense a pattern in all of this." As Robert was pondering the general wisdom of his friendship with Ryo, a young man in sweats ran over to them.

"Oh, Mr. Sakazaki and Mr. Garcia, am I glad I found both of you! I'm Kumada, one of the stage crew. I just wanted to tell you that the ring is ready for the match, and that all we're waiting for now is the arrival of Mr. Saotome!"

"Really? The kid hasn't even shown up yet? Strange." Ryo took one final stretch. "Guess I'll head on down to the ring anyway. As Bogard would say 'Alright! Let's get ready!'"

Robert had to try his hardest to suppress another groan.

* * *

Ranma was trying to make his way to the park as fast as he could. It was not his fault that every resident in Nerima had come out mob him as he made his way through the streets. At least it seemed like it was everyone in the ward. At the very least all of his classmates from Furinkan were surrounding him, many looking to get his autograph or ask him for some sort of favor.

When Ranma had asked for recognition as a martial artist, this was not what he had in mind!

"Ranma, RANMA!" screamed Hiroshi, one of the few students Ranma actually considered a friend… sort of. Next to Hiroshi stood Daisuke, a bland, inoffensive fellow who was a mutual friend of both of them. Being of a more mellow temperament then his companion, Daisuke stood calmly by waiting for Ranma to address them.

"Hiroshi? You're here too?" Ranma asked.

"Of course man! You have to tell me how you did it man, getting this whole thing together! I wanted to ask you at school, but Akane was guarding you like a dog!"

"Hiroshi?" Daisuke ventured to ask, "You do realize Akane is somewhere around here right now, possibly listening to everything we are saying?

"What are you talking—Ouch!" Hiroshi could not finish his question before Akane stomped on his foot.

"I'm not a dog you know!"

"Oh Akane, you were there after all." Hiroshi began to laugh nervously. "I'm dead aren't I?"

"What? No! Just don't say something like that again."

Hiroshi gushed as relief filled him. "Oh thank sweet merciful Buddha! I thought you were going to take the mallet out there for a second…"

"What mallet?" Akane asked somewhat surprised.

"Well, you know," Hiroshi sputtered, "the rumors at school… the pocket dimension… everyone talks about it!"

"Good grief, who ever came up with a crazy idea like that? Kuno?" Akane thought hard about it for a moment, she dimly remembered there was _one_ time she used a hammer, many months before. As Akane continued to ponder about how rumors had conflated her into some sort of superhuman engine of wrath, she could hear Ranma screaming.

"No! Come on people, I've got to get through. I'm already late!" Ranma wanted to try and jump over the crowd like he had on Wednesday, but everyone was so closely packed together he could not find a spot to land on. Well, there was that really tall cheerleader's head, but that would be just plain rude. That, and Ranma doubted her neck could support his weight.

"Ranma! Come over here!" shouted Akane. "I'm going to make a path for you!"

"What? How are you going to do that?"

Akane spread her arms out in wide fashion and began to press against the crowd.

"Hiroshi, Daisuke, follow my lead!"

"What! You're drafting me to take on this monstrous crowd Akane?" whined Hiroshi. "I'm allergic to pain and danger!"

"It's for a good cause Hiroshi. Besides, that mallet you mentioned earlier… I was thinking it might be a good investment…"

"Okay, Okay! You convinced me!" Hiroshi panicked as he began pushing with Akane to clear a path.

"Hiroshi, my old friend," Daisuke intoned solemnly, "If I don't make it out of this alive, tell my mother I love her."

"And you can have my collection of Newtype magazines! I love you man!"

"I love you too!"

"Oh will you two shut up and help me here!" Akane grumbled. Honestly, did those clowns always have to blow things out of proportion?

Through Akane's efforts, a small gap was opened in the crowd, and Ranma was able to slip through. As soon as he was free, he made a mad dash for the park.

"I'm going on ahead!" Ranma screamed.

"I'll catch up with you!" Akane yelled back. "And good luck!" By that time, Ranma was already a speck in the distance. Akane had to admit it, Ranma's speed was frightening.

Ranma really wished he did not have to run. He wanted to come into the match completely fresh. After about half a minute, he decided to risk slowing down in order to conserve his strength. It seemed as if no one had been able to follow him, and so he finally relaxed. Soon after, Ranma could make out the main entrance to Shakujii Park in front of him.

As he walked up to the gate, he could see a line of people trying to enter the park. Just great, Ranma thought to himself, am I going to be mobbed again? Upon closer inspection however, he noticed that the line was quite well organized and orderly. An even closer look revealed why; Nabiki was standing at the gate, selling tickets.

"Okay sir, 1000 yen for the ticket, with the commission fee and tax that comes out to 1800 yen. Thank you and have a wonderful day." Nabiki had a wide grin on her face, and for once the joy was all real. She was making an even bigger killing on this then she could have ever dreamed of! She had known it was a good idea to get that Kuroki guy's contact information on Wednesday, but to think she was actually allowed to take part in the organization of the event! Then there was the betting, but of course she had to do that on the sly. When was Japan going to relax its gambling laws anyway?

"Figures I'd find you where the money is at, Nabiki. You never pass on an opportunity to profit off of someone else's work."

"Oh Ranma, I am so very glad you finally decided to show up. You do realize that the match is supposed to start in three minutes? Better hurry up now." Nabiki was very clearly enjoying her control over the situation.

"We are going to talk about this later." Ranma warned. "You're not walking off with all of that money without giving up a share to the dojo."

"I love you too dear."

"Damn it, I wonder if you're even human sometimes!" Ranma would have said more, but he knew it was pointless. Nabiki would probably keep all of the money too; it was one of the recurring themes of his life.

Ranma jumped over the gate into the park, and quickly followed the main path towards where the match was supposed to take place. He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket that had the directions scribbled on it, and double checked it. He need not have worried, for it became quickly obvious where the location was. Somehow, in only a few short days, a group of workers had managed to erect a series of large bleachers in the center of the park. The bleachers were set up in a square formation, and were already packed with people. In the center of the square there was a fighting ring set up. The ring seemed to be made from wood and slightly raised above the ground, with no ropes or barriers surrounding it. Ranma briefly wondered if there would be any rules pertaining to ring-outs, but he decided not to worry about something that had not been mentioned yet.

Looking more closely, Ranma could see something of even greater interest to him. Two men were already standing in the ring. Ranma could not recognize one of them, though he assumed it was a referee by his outfit. The other man however was immediately recognizable: Ryo Sakazaki. He was decked out in fighting gear; a tattered red gi with a black undershirt and black wrist guards. It was so stereotypical Ranma had to suppress a laugh. What was up with this Sakazaki guy anyway? He not only acted like some goofy lead from an 80's action flick, he dressed like one too!

"Ladies and gentlemen," the referee began while speaking into a microphone, "I apologize, there might be a slight delay…"

"No need to apologize ref, there won't be any delays." Ranma said as he effortlessly bounded into the ring. "Sorry about being slightly late, it's just that my fans can't get enough of me." Ranma looked at Ryo for a second. "I'm guessing you didn't have that problem."

"Oh, yeah, very funny there kid." said Ryo without losing a beat. "Almost as funny as your face is going to be after I'm done rearranging it."

"How do you say that stuff with a straight face? Why don't you tell me "I'm already dead" or "I'll be punished in the name of the moon" while you're at it?"

"Why do I need to tell you? I'll show you with the power of Kyokugen!"

"Gentlemen, I know you are having a lot of fun," the referee interrupted, "But can you please settle down for a moment while I explain the rules?"

"Fine with me." Ryo and Ranma replied almost simultaneously. The poor referee almost went deaf from how loudly they shouted it.

"The bout is one round, 10 minutes in length." The referee began. "Victory can be obtained by KO, Submission, or a decision by me at the end of the match based on the number of blows landed by each fighter. If at any time I feel that the life of a fighter is in danger, I will call an end to the match, and the use of any technique with the intent to kill or maim will result in disqualification and full legal action. Other than that, anything goes. Is that understood gentlemen?"

"Wouldn't want it any other way." Ranma said eagerly.

"Amen to that." Ryo agreed.

"Very well then, take to your corners and wait for my signal to begin." With that Ranma and Ryo pulled back to opposite corners of the ring and spent the brief respite clearing their heads.

Ryo noticed Robert waiting by the side of the ring motioning for him to come over, and so Ryo went over to have a last minute chat. He wondered what his old friend had to say to him.

"Look, if you're really going to do this, don't hurt the kid too much."

"What Rob, have you ever known me to be a cruel guy?"

"You're absolutely right." Robert raised his arms in a melodramatic fashion. "Then I guess all I can say is avoid any crotch shots and don't get your nose broken in more than one spot, and don't call me Rob!"

Ryo crinkled his face in mock disgust. "Well thanks a lot Mom! I'll see you later!" He turned back towards his opponent and began to clear his mind of all thoughts except battle.

Meanwhile, Ranma had been using his time to scan the crowds. He could see many of his friends up in the bleachers. His Mom, Dad, Ryoga, Ukyo, Konatsu, Mousse, Konatsu, and others were all seated together. Akane still had not shown up yet, but Ranma knew it would take some time for her to untangle from that crowd outside of their house. Besides that, hundreds of other people from all over Nerima had arrived to watch Ranma in his moment of glory. There was even a TV crew from the local station filming the event. Ranma really was in the spotlight now, and he was not going to disappoint anyone, least of all himself.

"Gentlemen are you ready?" the referee called out. Ranma and Ryo both tensed into their battle stances. "Let the match begin!"

In that instant Ranma's mind calculated a dozen methods of attack and defense. He decided to take the initiative in this fight, using his blinding speed and agility to close the distance between him and Sakazaki in an instant and execute a devastating blow before the other martial artist could react. How fast could Sakazaki be anyway? A man of his size and mass was probably no faster than Ryoga.

Ranma confirmed his advantage in mobility as he dashed around the ring to catch Ryo at an exposed angle. The Kyokugen master seemingly could not keep up with Ranma's movements, and the young fighter cracked his trademark grin as me launched a powerful jab at Ryo's gut. That would take the wind out of him…

Except Ranma's fist did not connect with Ryo's midsection, instead he was lifted off of his feet as Ryo grabbed his outstretched arm and flipped him onto his head with one swift movement. The impact stunned Ranma for the briefest of moments, but he recovered his senses and managed to break free and roll back to safety. He jumped back onto his feet and stared hard at Ryo. One thought immediately ran though Ranma's mind: What the hell just happened?

Ranma had only met a handful of opponents in his life who could counter his quick strikes so effectively. Happosai was one, Cologne was another, and then there was Herb. Saffron did not count; he substituted magic for actual skill, and therefore lacked real technique. At any rate, two of those fighters were ancient masters with almost superhuman powers, and the other was part dragon. Was Ranma supposed to believe that Ryo Sakazaki was on their level? Happosai did say that Kyokugen focused on ki manipulation, but still!

"You look a little dazed there kid, want me to explain what just happened?" Ryo was still in his battle stance. "You are fast, really fast, but you leave yourself slightly open when you punch. I just took advantage of that and used your own power against you."

Ranma did not respond with words, rather he renewed his assault with even greater resolve. He launched a roundhouse kick at Ryo's head with lighting speed. Again, Ryo parried with a well-timed block and tried to flip Ranma off of his feet. Ranma countered by grabbing Ryo by his gi and shifting his weight. Through this he hoped to bring Ryo off balance and down to the floor of the ring. It was a risky move; if Ranma could not get his leg free, Ryo could easily put it into a devastating and painful hold that could end the match as quickly as it had begun.

Ryo was toppled over by his opponent's movements. He hated grappling, that was more his father's style. Still, he was well versed in ground combat and was prepared for whatever Ranma was planning for him. He was surprised then when Ranma wiggled out of their hold and jumped back to his feet. Ryo had to quickly get himself back into a defendable stance; with this kid's speed, allowing a small opening for even a moment was unacceptable!

"You made a mistake there kid! Letting go I mean." Ryo studied Ranma carefully. "You had the advantage there for a moment and you gave it away. Not very bright on your part."

"It's 'cause I wanted to show you something. A special technique that I learned a while back that's perfect for breaking an opponent's defense…" Ranma allowed his ki to flow into his hands and prepared to unleash the Amaguriken.

* * *

Up in the bleachers, Ryoga had been observing the fight carefully. Mousse was sitting next to him, completely impassive. Ryoga wondered if Mousse could even see anything, even if he was wearing his glasses.

Ryoga turned towards Ukyo, and he could see there was concern on her face. He really was not sure what she was expecting, that Ranma would be walking all over his opponent? This Sakazaki guy was a champion after all, not some chump on the street. Ryoga knew that Ranma's overconfidence would get him into trouble. Still, he had not even begun to show off what he was fully capable of. Once he actually started taking this fight seriously and showed the full extent of his power, then it would be over quickly. Who knew that better then Ryoga? After all he was one of the few martial artists out there who could hold his own against Ranma.

* * *

Ranma fired off the Amaguriken at full throttle. His fists became a blur as he fired off hundreds of punches in a matter of seconds. Ryo was caught completely off guard.

I got you Sakazaki, Ranma thought; you never expected some "kid" would be capable of using such a high-level technique, did you? That's why you're going to lose!

As the punches rained over his body, Ryo realized just how badly he had underestimated his opponent. The last teenaged fighter he had met with this level of ability was Kyo Kusanagi, and Ryo had always assumed he was some sort of one-in-a-million fluke. Well, the world was a big place as the saying went, and now it was time to buckle down. Ryo worked through the pain of Ranma's blows and prepared his countermeasure.

"Zanretsuken!"

In an instant Ryo struck back with his own barrage of punches, as fast and powerful as Ranma's own. Even more, they seemed to produce a vacuum effect that sucked Ranma into their path, forcing him to take the full brunt of the attack. He tried to hold up as best as he could, but was stunned by the blows, and Ryo finished his move with a brutal uppercut that sent Ranma airborne. Not wanting to give his opponent even a second to recover, Ryo hit him with another of his signature moves.

"Kohou!"

Ryo flew up into the air on the power of his ki, his fist thrust upwards in an uppercut motion, slamming into Ranma's exposed back. Ranma gasped in pain from the force of this blow, and fell to the ground headfirst. For a moment he did not move, and the previously boisterous crowd went silent as the referee went over to check on his condition.

"Can you continue?" asked the referee, concern clearly leaking into his voice.

"Yeah, I'm not done yet," Ranma growled as his staggered back to his feet. He recovered his balance and stared right at Ryo. "You thought you could beat me with just that? You don't give me enough credit!"

"I thought maybe you would be wise about it and stay down." The Kyokugen master replied. "You are seriously outmatched here kid. I've got one advantage on you that you cannot overcome."

"What's that? You're bigger? Stronger? You know more moves?"

Ryo shook his head in disappointment. "No, I'm talking about experience. I've been fighting since before you were even born, and in that time I've seen hundreds of fighters who use just about every style of combat you can imagine. There's nothing you can throw at me that I have not seen somewhere else before, and there's no technique you can use that I can't counter with my own. It's a gap in ability that can't be closed by physical prowess, spiritual power, or even sheer will."

"Yeah? Well I've beaten my fair share of "experienced" geezers in the past, buddy! Don't start thinking you're so special!"

"On the contrary, it's because I understand my own limits so well that I've become strong." Ryo smirked. "It's something you'll understand in a few years kid, after you grow up."

Anger boiled up in Ranma as Ryo patronized him. "Yeah, well your defeat comes first!" As his pride as a martial artist surged within him, he prepared to use the Moko Takabisha.

"Take this!" Ranma screamed as he fired off the shot of concentrated energy across the ring. It flew directly towards Ryo, and it seemed as if he would have no time to be able to react or dodge it.

"Ko ou Ken!" Ryo yelled as he raised one of his hands up. A blast of blue-tinted ki came out of his palm, absorbing the Moko Takabisha into it. Ranma's attack had been completely neutralized, not even a trace of its energy remained.

Ranma quickly scrambled for another solution. He had no choice, he had to use his most powerful move now and end this. Ryo's battle aura was far too cool and controlled to initiate the Hiryu Shoten Ha, but the crowd's aura was blazing hot. The enthusiasm of his fans would help Ranma win this battle, what could be more fitting?

Ranma began to dash around the ring, seemingly at random. In truth, he was creating an elaborate spiral pattern. His spirit cooled down and began to mix with the crowd's. The air began to stir.

Ryo became greatly concerned. What was this feeling? What was this kid trying to pull off? Then it came to him. It was different for sure, but this attack felt exactly like when Joe Higashi would… Oh no, Ryo realized. He needed to stop this now, or he really would lose this match!

"Hien Shippu Kyaku!" he called out as he took off from the ground at lightning speed. Ryo's timing needed to be perfect, but this was the sort of thing he had been training for his whole life. He had yet to see an attack for which there was no counter for. It just came down to discipline and will to win!

Ranma had nearly completed the technique. It was all over now, there was no way Sakazaki could counter it. Look at that guy jumping at me, Ranma thought. A jump kick? Did that guy really believe that would stop the Hiryu Shoten Ha? How insulting.

Except this was no normal jump kick. The Hien Shippu Kyaku was designed for maximum speed followed by a surprise blow that was hidden behind the first attack. Ranma never saw it coming. He was able to the first kick, but when Ryo spun around in midair and smacked him with the second, he was knocked off his feet. His concentration for the Hiryu Shoten Ha was totally broken. Ryo landed on the ground smoothly and faced Ranma once more.

"That was a dangerous technique you were using there Mr. Saotome, you could have really hurt me with that. Very impressive for someone your age, but nothing I haven't dealt with before. I hope you didn't think you could win the match with just that." Ryo dusted off his gi as Ranma stood in shock. "Are we almost done here? I think we are."

* * *

Akane ran as quickly as she could after having dealt with the crowd. She was extremely worried, and an ominous feeling had been creeping over her ever since Ranma had run off. Ryo Sakazaki, ever since Happosai had made that comment on Wednesday night about the power of Kyokugen Karate, Akane was afraid of what Ranma had gotten himself into by confronting that man. She had kept her silence because she knew Ranma would have dismissed her, and she did not want to fight with him at such an important time.

Now however, Akane could just sense something had gone terribly wrong. She had no idea how it could be happening, or how she could even know in the first place, but Ranma was losing badly to Ryo. Akane only hoped that she could get to the park in time. Maybe her presence could make a difference. She knew it was a silly thought; there was little she could do in a practical sense, but Akane knew Ranma needed her to be there watching him right at that moment.

Trailing behind Akane was the duo of Hiroshi and Daisuke. They were blissfully unaware of any trouble that their friend was in, but they could tell when a girl was upset. They were quietly debating between themselves if it was appropriate to approach Akane about what was bothering her.

"I'm telling you, if we do it, she'll just beat the crap out of us. Give her some space."

"Oh come on Hiroshi, you really don't believe that Akane would do that for just trying to help her?"

Hiroshi decided to educate his good friend on female psychology. "I know this much. Chicks don't think like guys, and you thinking Akane wants any help from us just shows how little you get that. If she does need someone to talk do, she'll ask. Otherwise just leave it to someone she can really open up to."

Daisuke was still not settled on the issue. "But this is probably about Ranma, right? I mean, we are his friends too..."

"Oh brother," Hiroshi said as he shook his head, "Daisuke I wish could be as innocent as you. Like I said already, chicks don't think like guys when it comes to this stuff. Besides that, this is Ranma we're talking about here, he's fine. Why I bet he's already punched out half the teeth from the jaw of that smelly American guy. That poor bozo is probably wishing he never even made a challenge in the first place."

* * *

Ryo looked at Ranma with a hard glare. "Well up until this point, I've been letting you take the offense, but since you can't seem to get the job done, I think it's my turn to attack." Ryo lifted his right hand ever so slightly. "Raijin Setsu Ken!"

Covering the distance between him and Ranma in an instant, Ryo's right hand came down with crushing force. While desperately trying to block, a thought flashed into Ranma's mind. No man could punch with that kind of power coming out of a short jump, having so little leverage; that Sakazaki must have infused the attack with ki! Just what else was this man capable of?

Finally Ranma's arms gave out on him and he was pushed to the ground. Ryo took advantage of his opponent's opening by grabbing Ranma's left arm and twisting it backwards. He then shifted his weight and lifted Ranma off of the ground, and in one smooth motion dropped the younger martial artist on his head. Even after this, Ryo continued to hold onto Ranma's arm, taking advantage of his height and leverage to apply tremendous pressure on it.

"Now, I'll show you why it was foolish to let me out of that hold at the start of the match. Consider it a free lesson." Ryo stated with dead seriousness. There was no trace of conceit in his voice, only the cool confidence of a veteran brawler.

The referee ran over to the fighters and looked at Ranma's condition. He could tell that while the boy was still conscious, he was clearly suffering from the effects of the hold. "Can you continue Mr. Saotome, would you like to submit?"

"Never, I won't ever give up!"

The Referee turned to Ryo. "Mr. Sakazaki, I am not sure if your opponent is capable of making a rational decision right now. Consider the consequences of continuing this hold!"

Ryo was very concerned at this point. Far larger and stronger opponents then Ranma had passed out from this hold in less than thirty seconds, and at least a minute had already passed. Was this boy so concerned with his silly pride that he would risk having his arm crippled?

"Give it up kid! This is not worth getting hurt over! Call it a loss and move on!"

"You first!" Ranma was in agony at this point. He felt like his arm would snap in two at any moment. He was exhausted, and no matter how hard he tried to push up in order to gain some relief and break the hold, Ryo managed to keep him squarely planted to the ground. Was it truly over?

But then amidst his haze of pain, Ranma noticed something. It was Akane, she was there watching! Akane was standing near the base of one of the bleachers, clearly winded.

She must have run all the way from the park in order to see me, Ranma thought. There was more though, the look in her eyes: fear. Ranma realized that Akane was afraid, she was afraid for him at this moment!

At that moment the pain Ranma felt dissipated as he surged with desperate strength. There was no way in hell that he was going to make Akane worry about him, make her sad. Her, no, _their_ future with the dojo rode on this victory as well. But it went even beyond that. Everyone Ranma knew, friend and foe, was watching him at this moment. He was not going to go down into the dirt and pass out like some second-rate fighter. Ranma Saotome would stand tall and claim victory like he always did!

Ranma pushed Ryo off of him with his newfound strength, and then charged in with a ferocity he rarely expressed in battle. He let loose with a barrage of punches and kicks, throwing everything he had at his opponent. Ryo took a hard punch to his upper chest, and he could feel the impact shudder through his ribs. He then narrowly dodged a roundhouse kick to his leg, an attack with enough force to shatter his femur it he had let it connect. Ranma then tried to use a leg sweep on Ryo, but the older fighter was able to anticipate and jump over it. Ryo tried to counterattack with a flying knee thrust, but Ranma grabbed Ryo and threw him to the ground. Ranma tried to follow this up with a vicious foot stomp directed at Ryo's lower back, but was foiled when his opponent managed to skillfully roll away.

Ryo managed to get back onto his feet and quickly put some distance between himself and Ranma before considering his next action. He was stunned, the kid was about to pass out just a moment before, and now he was on his feet putting Ryo on the defensive! The kid was at his limit however, and that was not a good thing.

When some fighters are pressed to their absolute limits, and they become desperate for victory, they can pull off remarkable feats of power and ability, but it rarely ended well. The fighter often aggravated his injuries in that state, and posed a deadly threat to his opponents. Ryo himself had once fallen into such a state himself during his younger days, and he nearly made what would have been the worst mistake of his life if he had not pulled back. He decided this fight needed to end _now_.

"One-hit finishing technique!" Ryo cried out as he activated one of his most powerful techniques, the Tenchi Haoh Ken. For the briefest of moments he pushed all of the ki in his body and the earth around him into his right hand, and used it to deliver a punch of unrivaled force. It was a dangerous technique, and Ryo used it with the greatest of care in order to not kill his opponents. But when it came to knocking out a person quickly and efficiently, there was no greater tool in his arsenal.

Ranma continued to charge his enemy, fully intent on crushing him. If he had been in a more rational state of mind, he would have noticed what Ryo was doing and evaded it. As it was, the punch connected cleanly with Ranma's chest, and it sent him flying back as if he were but a piece of paper sailing on the wind. He landed outside of the ring, unconscious.

Upon seeing this, the referee made an immediate decision. "This fight is over; the winner… is Ryo Sakazaki by KO!" He was glad to end this bout. The referee prided himself as a man with a strong stomach and impartial judgment, but watching that boy nearly push himself to the breaking point to obtain victory… it was horrific.

The crowd grew very silent at the announcement of Ranma's loss. For the residents of Nerima, the thought of their number one martial artist being defeated was hard to accept. For a few seconds everyone simply sat in shock. Then, up in the bleachers, faint crying could be heard. Kasumi, Ukyo, and Shampoo had lost their composure and began crying. Soun joined them promptly. Nodoka tried her best to keep a strong front, but seeing her son laying there unconscious, tears began to fall from her eyes as well. Ryoga was still frozen in shock. Ranma was his rival, and Ryoga never imagined anyone besides him being able to defeat Ranma like that. Mousse stayed quiet, whatever emotions he felt stayed hidden behind his glasses.

Back on the ground, Akane stood for a moment looking at Ranma's prone form. Behind her Hiroshi and Daisuke whimpered a bit, as the situation began to dawn on them. Then, without a second thought, Akane ran to Ranma, and gently raised him from the ground. Hiroshi and Daisuke came over to help her, and together they moved him away from the makeshift arena, presumably to find their friend medical attention.

Back in the ring, Ryo Sakazaki stood silently as he watched the trio take his defeated opponent away. He felt conflicted; he respected the strength of the brash kid with the pigtail, but he also remembered the lack of respect that same kid had shown for other martial artists. Regardless, things had gotten far uglier then Ryo had ever intended. It was no victory to be proud of, that much was certain.

Robert, who had been watching the fight the whole time, entered the ring and walked over to his friend. He could tell Ryo was not happy with how things had turned out. Robert was tempted to say 'I told you so.' But he knew his friend felt bad enough as it is. He just hoped both the victor and the vanquished had learned a lesson from all this.

"Come on Ryo. Let's go back to the hotel. Our business is done here."

"I wish I could say that Robert, but I wonder if this is really over just yet." Ryo's eyes maintained a distant look. "In fact, I'd say it's just beginning."

End Chapter

_So, how was the fight? I tried to keep it balanced, but I know a lot of the readers had really high expectations for it, so I hope I did not disappoint. The next chapter will come in two weeks. I already have written up to Chapter 10, but I need to edit this stuff more before I can post it. You guys deserve the best from me, and I intend to give you just that. Also, don't worry, the story does get a lot happier after the next few chapters, I just need to develop things to that point._

_Until next time, take care!_


	6. A Day in Osaka

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all associated licensers. The King of Fighters and it associated series are the property of SNK-Playmore and all associated licensers. This is not a work for profit. I claim no rights to the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Continuity for Ranma is mostly derived from the manga, with some of the anime sprinkled in for good measure. Continuity for the King of Fighters is a modified form of the current story, how that is should be explained in story, but I am willing to explain for those with further questions.

Enjoy!

Chapter 6

Kyo Kusanagi arrived in Osaka early Friday morning. There was so much to do, and so little time to do it.

"Where to begin?" Kyo asked himself quietly. The family compound? The university campus? Yuki's apartment? She was living in an apartment these days, right? It was hard to tell from the address. Or maybe she was living with someone else, maybe a guy, who really knew anymore?

All right, it was time to cool down, Kyo thought to himself. This whole self-doubt bull crap had never been his thing, and he was not going to start indulging in it now. It was time to own up like a man and get things done. Otherwise, why had he come back here in the first place?

Home, that was where he would go first, Kyo decided. He owed it to the old man and his mom to show them he was still alright after all these years. He would have never being able to survive abroad some years without their financial aid, and they had always responded no matter what weird location he contacted them from. It was strange though, in many ways he had a far smoother relationship with them _after_ he had practically disappeared from their daily lives. Was Kyo just stirring up trouble by…?

What did you just say to yourself Kyo? You were not going to do this. Go over there now and be done with it. It's not like you have much time anyway. You have to be at the campus in a few hours, and be back in Tokyo by tomorrow afternoon at the latest. It would be rude to Mr. Garcia to hold up the match.

As Kyo hailed a taxi cab to take him back to the Kusanagi residence, he thought for a moment about how that situation had developed. That punk with the pigtail had been rude, but Kyo could tell he was strong for his age. Maybe he could have given Kyo a run for his money, but picking a fight with Sakazaki without a second thought? That was a sign of immaturity if Kyo had ever seen one. Kyo knew the Kyokugen master was no pushover; he was easily one of Kyo's greatest living rivals, even though they rarely had any opportunities to fight these days. For that much, Kyo regretted the whole incident at the Big Sight; it would have been fun to see how Sakazaki matched up to him these days.

The trip back to the compound went smoothly. The taxi driver did not seem to recognize who Kyo was, or maybe he just did not care. At any rate, it was a nice change from the mobs of fighting fans that tended to hound him at the tournaments. How popular was he outside of the fighting circuit? Kyo wondered about that. Some guy, who beats other people up for a living, even in sanctioned matches, could probably never be seen as all that good a role model for others. Not that Kyo would ever quit while he was still fit to do it. Martial arts were his life, and the bonds he had made with others had overshadowed the other unpleasant parts of the lifestyle. It was sort of like that movie he saw in America a while back, with that big name actor, even though the rest of the story had been just been plain weird.

At last the taxi arrived at Kyo's house. The Kusanagis were an ancient and wealthy family, and by Japanese standards their homestead was gigantic. Kyo himself never put much stock in material things, even though as the head of the Kusanagi family he was nominally the owner of all of its assets. For him, the home's only value was drawn from the many childhood memories he had of his training and loved ones who raised him. Kyo walked through its front gate and knocked on the front door, awaiting some response from inside.

A very short time later, the door opened to reveal the stern but elegant figure of Shizuka Kusanagi, Kyo's mother. Kyo noticed that his mom had not changed a bit since he had last seen her. Not surprising, Shizuka had always kept herself in fighting trim despite her ostensible pacifism. Shizuka looked at her son, and without losing a beat, greeted him as if he had only been gone for a day or two rather than several years.

"Welcome back my son, I hope you had a pleasant journey overseas." Kyo thought about making a wisecrack about how understated the greeting was, but he knew better then to mouth off to his mother. She was one of the few people in the world that truly intimidated him, despite her outwardly gentle manner.

Without any other words passing between them, mother and son walked down the main hall of the house to the sitting room. Kyo almost forgot to remove his jacket and shoes beforehand. It was so odd for him to be doing that again, he had been out of Japan for so long that traditions like removing his shoes before entering someone's home seemed almost quaint at this point. He had to concede that he had been westernized to a great extent from living in America and Europe, or maybe it had merely given him the excuse to cast aside ideas he had long chaffed against?

As they walked through the house, Kyo noticed how sparsely furnished the house still was. His mother was a very conservative person when it came to aesthetics and tradition. Saisyu, Kyo's father, had always been the wilder, more adventurous one in the partnership, but he always deferred to his wife on issues related to running the house. Like Kyo, Saisyu stood in awe of his wife as much as he loved her, and he loved his wife above all else. It had never been a one-sided relationship however, for in many other areas Shizuka gave her husband a lot of freedom. It was the sort of pairing that Kyo truly admired, he had hoped to have that kind of relationship as well, but his responsibilities as both a martial artist and as head of the Kusanagi Clan had screwed that up. How did his father ever manage to balance it all back in his day?

Finally Kyo entered the sitting room. He took his place at a small table in the room's center. He kneeled upon a cushion that was laid out for visitors, and waited for his mother to take her place. Shizuka did so, but for an uncomfortable few moments neither of them spoke. At last, Kyo was unable to contain himself any longer and ventured a question.

"So, is dad around?"

Shizuka still looked at her son with no emotion. "Kyo… your father…" Her voice had a cold, listless quality to it.

"Yeah, my father…"

"Your father is…" Shizuka's voice seemed to take on a very concerned tone.

"Mom? What happened to dad?" Kyo was getting worried now; his mother never was one to hold back on information.

"Your father is… he is… right behind you."

"What? Oomph…" Kyo could barely register his surprise before Saisyu Kusanagi nailed his son right on the head with an open-handed chop. It was not a hard blow, but it nearly shocked Kyo out of his pants.

"What? You couldn't detect my presence you lazy boy? Have you even been training at all since you left this house? I'm so disappointed. What has become of the future of the Kusanagi clan?" Saisyu said in mock anguish. He quickly broke into a bout of hearty laughter. Kyo fumed for a second, but then he noticed something; did his mom have a thin smile forming on her lips?

"You set me up Mom!" Kyo gasped.

"Sorry son, but even an old lady such as me is allowed a little mischief once in a while." Shizuka seemed far more relaxed now.

"Besides that son, you had such a gloomy, self-absorbed look on your face. We had to do something about that." Saisyu added.

"You two, I see nothing has changed much since I left."

"Well, we both got older." Saisyu said. "You could have some pity on your parents for that. Visit us at least a little more often before we die."

"Geez, you're not that old." Kyo grumbled. "You're going to make me feel old too."

"But you are old Kyo." Saisyu chided, "You are no longer the cute little brat I remember. You look like a man now. I'm impressed."

"Well I guess I should thank you for the compliment… if you could call it that."

Saisyu went around the table and joined his wife.

"To be honest dad, I was half expecting you to be off somewhere raising hell." Kyo continued. "What? You lost your taste for adventure?"

"A man needs to rest himself at times. Besides, I enjoy being here with your mother. With this big house all to ourselves we have a lot of time to…"

"All right, I think I've heard enough information." Kyo repressed the urge to sigh. "I guess that answers the question whether or not you two are in good health."

"Very true Kyo, the real question is _how you are?_" Saisyu focused his expression.

"Well being _officially_ back home in Japan for the first time in years was quite an experience. Maybe you heard what happened over in Odaiba?"

"Some young upstart challenging to a fight before you could finish your big homecoming speech? Yes, we heard about that." Saisyu smiled as he stroked his beard. "Like I said son, you are getting _old_. By the way, what did you mean when you said officially? I thought the last time you were in Japan was…"

"It's a long story. Let's just say that a lot of stuff that went on during the last tournament never reached the news headlines. I wish I could say more than that, but it's not safe to yet."

"You have become such an aloof and secretive man, Kyo." Shizuka finally spoke once more. "I do not think it is a good quality, especially because it seems so against your nature."

"Well Mom, if it makes you feel any better, I don't like it either. But I've learned through painful experience that I need to play things close to the vest."

"Ha! Aloof nothing, Shizuka my dear! Our son has grown into a full blown paranoiac!" Saisyu said as he turned his head to the side momentarily. "Not to mention he does not give his parents enough credit. You honestly think that you can hide everything from us Kyo? We know about the Yata Mirror and Yasakani no Magatama, that someone has stolen them."

Kyo was surprised by his father's revelation. "How could you have known about that?"

"Never forget Kyo, we are also of the Kusanagi bloodline." Shizuka sternly intoned. "We have known for more than a year now. We felt a shift in magical energy that disturbed the balance of nature, and realized that it could have come from only one source. We also know that this shift has caused a weakening in the seal that holds Orochi in its slumber, and that the world is again in peril because of that."

Kyo was more than a little bit humbled by his mother's words. "So you know who took the treasures as well I assume?"

Saisyu shook his head. "That one you will have to fill in for us. That is of course if you feel like telling us." His tone was slightly mocking.

"Fair enough old man, would you believe me if I told it was a little fairy boy dressed in red?"

"I would say that was a bad joke."

"Well it's true. The little prick's name is Ash Crimson, and uh… well that's all I really know, honest. Oh, did I mention he wields green flames?"

"Green Flames?" Saisyu and Shizuka both said in unison.

"Yeah, you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

"Unfortunately I do not." Saisyu said as he regained his composure. "Nothing in the old legends ever referred to such a thing. I must say it's very troubling."

"Well I did try to protect you. Anyway, if there's no reference to it in the old legends, that's fine by me. I told you once long ago Dad, I never put a lot of stock in prophesies or fate. I'll write my own ending to this story!" Kyo cracked a cocky grin.

"Now you sound more like the son I remembered!" Saisyu beamed.

Kyo began to get up from the table. His parents were surprised.

"Leaving us so soon Kyo?" Shizuka asked. "I have not prepared any tea yet."

"Sorry mom, I really wish I could stay, but I'm on a very tight schedule. I have to be at the University of Osaka in less than two hours for an important meeting. And I have to be back in Tokyo by tomorrow afternoon at the very latest, but even that's pushing it. I really do wish my visit could be longer."

"This meeting, it wouldn't have anything to do with…?"

"It's exactly what you think it's about."

"Well then, I would hardly want to keep your friends waiting. Let me call up another taxi for you." Shizuka walked into the kitchen so that she could use the phone there.

Kyo looked at the empty seat where his mother had been. "You know Mom didn't have to do that for me. I have a cell phone."

"Mothers want to do whatever they can for their children, even if it is a small thing. If you do not understand that son, then you still have a lot more maturing to do. Then again, you never had much sense when it came to women." Saisyu shook his head, heaping pity on his son.

"Give it a rest."

"Have you even spoken to that girl since you returned to Japan?"

"No. I've been thinking of visiting her before I leave Osaka, but I don't know if it's even worth it. For all I know, Yuki moved on already and I'd just be burdening her."

"You idiot!" Saisyu screamed with a passion that caught Kyo off guard. "You never learn do you? Even when I went through all of the trouble to teach you all those years ago, you still do not understand that you must stay at the side of the ones you love, no matter how great the adversity!"

"That was a long time ago dad! Things changed. My enemies…"

"Your enemies nothing! What, you lack confidence in your ability to protect others? To vanquish your opponents? Then you might as well walk away now! There's no sense in you wasting your time fighting when your heart is so clouded. In your state, you would lose anyway."

"Hey, when I was made head of the Kusanagi clan, you told me I was free to use those powers as I saw fit, that as a man I had to carve my own path in the world."

"That is correct. I gave up the mantle of leadership to you, and from that point forward it was your choice on how to lead our clan. But this is an affair of the heart, and in that area your father still knows best!"

Kyo put one foot on the table, his eyes burning furiously. "You think you can still order me around old man? Why don't you put your money where your mouth is?"

"Kyo? Dear? What's going on in there?" Shizuka's voice called out from the kitchen. Both men went into a state of mortification.

"Uh, nothing dear! Nothing at all!"

"Yeah Mom, just having a friendly father-to -son chat!"

Shizuka seemed satisfied by their response, as she did not question them further.

"But really Kyo," Saisyu continued, much calmer then he was a moment before. "You should go and see the girl. You owe it to both her and yourself."

"I won't give any promises, but I'll keep it in mind."

"I guess that is all I can really get out of you at this point, eh my son?"

Shizuka finally walked back into the room. "I brewed up a pot of tea while I was in the kitchen. Your taxi will not arrive for another ten minutes or so anyway. Let us use that time to enjoy a cup together, as a family."

And so for the first time in many years, the Kusanagis enjoyed tea together, as a family.

* * *

Traveling to the University of Osaka turned out to be more of a problem then Kyo anticipated. An accident had caused a major traffic jam, and he spent the better part of an hour looking out from a taxi at the same boring scenery. Eventually he decided just to give up the idea of getting to the university by car, and after paying the cabbie, decided to walk to the campus. Still, it was a long distance to cover, and after awhile he had to run to arrive there in a reasonable amount of time. Even after all that, Kyo was late, and tired as well. His mood was briefly soured from the experience, and he hoped that things would not be further complicated. The meeting was the whole reason he had come out to Osaka in the first place, it was critical that he accomplished his goal.

As Kyo arrived at the campus's massive athletic complex, he marveled at all of the renovations that had been done on it since the last time he had been there. Unlike his house, other parts of Osaka had changed greatly in the time he had left. Kyo considered it a sign that things are always in flux, even if the basic form of them are consistent. The same way he kept getting dragged into new battles, but resolved to overcome them and strengthen himself in the process, Kyo wanted to believe that while the places and people he cared for might change superficially, their core nature, and their relationship to him would stay consistent. His visit to his parents had seemed to confirm that, and he wanted to believe that it was true for other things as well.

Kyo smiled, that would be a great topic for his next poem. Maybe for once other people would like it as well! Not that it would ever stop Kyo from indulging in his favorite pastime aside from fighting.

The particular destination Kyo headed for was the judo dojo. He was fortunate in that of all of the buildings, that one had changed the least in appearance. Another good omen, he thought to himself. No classes were currently being held in the dojo, and only a few people were inside. Most were students putting in some extra practice, but two other figures at the far end of the room were standing around, waiting for something, or someone.

"So you two did decide to show up." Kyo called out casually. "I really wondered this time if you would."

"And you reward us by being a half hour late." One of the men replied somewhat jokingly, though he was annoyed. He was only of average height, but this was offset by his towering dyed-blonde hair, which was styled in a way that seemed to defy physics. The man was also distinguishable by his turquoise blue eyes, which were an unusual sight in Japan. "I see you haven't changed at all Kyo, so flakey."

"And you're as gaudy as ever Benimaru." Kyo replied, as he walked over to shake the man's hand. He then turned towards the other man and greeted him as well. "Looking solid there Daimon, but then again, when haven't you?"

"Thank you Kyo, you also seem to be in good health." Goro Daimon towered over both Kyo and Benimaru, and was dressed in a traditional white gi.

"So your classes are going well I guess." Kyo inquired. If he remembered correctly, Daimon had been promoted to head instructor of the university's judo program a year or two back.

"Yes, I see a lot of promising talent in the new generation coming into the school. Japan might have a true rebirth in the international circuit if things go well."

The three men engaged in small talk like this for a little while, catching up on the things that had been going on in their lives. Despite not having been together like this for over a year, they quickly regained much of their old camaraderie. Eventually however, Kyo decided to get to the matter at hand. Benimaru and Daimon's faces lost their smiles as they realized that it was time to get down to business.

"So," Kyo began as he pulled an envelope out of his jacket, "I assume both of you have received one of these by now."

"Last week." Benimaru replied.

"Three days ago for me." Daimon confirmed.

"Right, so we all know what's going on. A new King of Fighters tournament is close at hand." Kyo pulled a piece of paper out of the envelope. "By the way, did you guys notice who signed the invitations?"

Benimaru shook his head slowly and smirked. "Oh yes, the significance was not lost on me."

"More to the point, do you think this is the same group that held the tournament last time?" Daimon asked.

"I'm sure of it." Kyo answered. "I have no doubt in my mind that this tournament is being held by that organization. The real question is what do they want this time?"

"Well from what the charmingly delightful Miss Elisabeth told me when I teamed up with her, they seem to be quite intent on wiping out humanity. Of course at this point it seems like every crazy megalomaniac we fight wants to do that. It's getting quite boring." Benimaru was trying to keep some humor in the conversation, but he could see his friends were not in the mood for jokes.

"From what I've seen of them, they could pull it off." Kyo intoned solemnly. "But that's only half the problem. Ash Crimson is gunning for me as well."

"If I remember correctly, he was the weird little boy who showed up two tournaments ago?" Daimon asked again, he had been out of the loop for a while.

"He was at the last tournament as well. He's been causing me a lot of problems over the last year." Kyo voice grew angrier as he remembered what happened. "He's already stolen two of the Sacred Treasures, and now he wants mine."

"I knew that as well. Ash said as much when my team confronted him." Benimaru said. "Yagami disappeared after the last tournament as well, and while I don't think much of him, I wanted to know if he was okay, but he seemed to disappear off the face of the earth. That could only mean something really bad happened to him, since normally he's not that hard to find, what with his habit of leaving behind a trail of beat up people whenever he gets into a foul mood. Shingo wouldn't talk about it either, and that made me _really concerned_."

Kyo wondered if he should answer that, but he realized there was no point in holding back. "Well, Yagami is alive is that what you're asking. He's been spending a lot of his time recovering and adjusting to the loss of his powers, but he can still fight. Hell, in some ways he's a better fighter now that he has to rely more on technique instead of raw power."

Kyo continued after taking a brief pause. "As for Shingo… yeah, things went badly at the end there. He felt like he screwed up, he feels it's his fault Ash was able to take Yagami's treasure."

"Poor Shingo, always putting too much on his shoulders." Daimon said as he shook his head. "Is he okay otherwise?" Daimon had always had a fond spot for the kid. He admired his determination and high spirits, and his ability to grow as a person.

"He seemed so when I last saw him." Benimaru said. "He said if I saw you Kyo, that I should tell you he would be ready to team up again in another tournament."

"I wish I could take him up on the offer, but the reason I'm here is because I want to form a new team, different from the one in the last tournament. Besides, Shingo fought well, but he almost got killed at the end. I don't want to put him in that kind of danger again."

"He will not take that well Kyo." Daimon said. "He will think you have no confidence in his ability as a fighter, and I would have to agree with him in this case."

"I'll explain it to him later, when the time is right. Right now, I need to focus."

"So did you invite us here so that you could reform the old Team Japan?" Benimaru asked. "I may be interested in doing that, for old times' sake."

"No, that would be impossible under the circumstances. Yagami demands that I team up with him again." Kyo seemed truly regretful about that.

"And you actually agreed to it?" Benimaru seemed surprised by that. Even Daimon, who was normally pragmatic about such matters, raised an eyebrow.

"I really don't like the guy, you two know that. But this has to do with his personal honor, and I couldn't refuse him on those grounds."

"So where does that leave us?" Benimaru was very curious now. Why had Kyo asked both of them here if he only needed one other member? Kyo was normally very decisive. He would have made a choice beforehand instead of having a meeting like this.

"It's something I want you guys to choose for yourselves. The way these invitations are worded, any of us three could form a team. I know both of you have your own ambitions as fighters, and it's a little selfish of me to ask you to give those up for my sake in a dangerous situation that could get us all killed. If neither of you want to join up, I'm fine with that as well, even if it puts me in a hard spot."

"Well, that's very different from how you would have handled it in the old days." Daimon smiled. "If that's your stance on it, then I respectfully decline your offer."

"May I at least ask why?"

"It's nothing about personal ambition or pride. I just figure that if you are teaming up with Yagami, Benimaru is the best choice to balance things out. He's fast and his style compliments yours far better than my Judo techniques." Daimon turned to Benimaru and nodded.

The blonde man thought about it for a moment. "Well, I haven't agreed to anything just yet, but I do have to say that an opportunity to get to the bottom of all these weird things that have been going on balances out the idea of teaming with a gloomy thug like Yagami."

"Well, then it's settled!" Kyo started smiling again.

"Look at you. Maybe you haven't matured so much as we thought Kyo." Benimaru sighed. All three men began to burst out in laughter.

"So Daimon, are you still going to show up at the tournament?" Kyo asked.

"It won't be easy. Unlike you I have a wife and child to consider. I will do everything I can to make it possible though. I even have some good ideas on who to team up with."

"Really?" Benimaru was even more curious about Daimon's idea then he had been about Kyo's.

"Yes, there's this kid, kind of a screw up, but he fights well and always give his best…"

"Thanks Daimon," Kyo said as he knew right away who Daimon was talking about, "Shingo will appreciate that."

"Don't mention it Kyo. Remember, he deserves it too."

"Well I guess that settles things. If you two gentleman don't mind, I have to get ready for a date tonight." Benimaru pulled out his cell phone to tell his lady friend that he would be on time.

"Date? Crap! What time is it anyway?" Kyo started to panic a little. His friends were a little confused.

Daimon looked up at a clock on the wall. "About a quarter after four. Why, are you late for something?"

"Not really, but I have to do something before I go back to Tokyo!" Kyo took another piece of paper out of his jacket and handed it to Benimaru. "This is my cell phone number. The tournament is two months away, so call me in a few days so we can make arrangements for travel and the like. I have to go guys! Later!" And with that Kyo ran out of the dojo.

"Kyo can be a strange fellow at times, despite all that bravado, eh Benimaru?"

"That's what happens when you try too hard Goro. So uncool."

* * *

Kyo was still unsure if this was a good idea. His dad may have advised it, but was the old man really the best person to take advice from? Still, he had to admit he was curious. What had Yuki been up to all this time? She was far too independent a woman to be just lying around pining for her white knight to return to her. Benimaru had been in infrequent contact with her in the beginning, but even he had been unable to keep up with her after a while, so that source of information had dried up as well. The only thing Kyo had was an address, of dubious accuracy, and a few hours to spare.

No sense backing out now though. If he was this far along with things, then Kyo had no good excuse not to do this. He asked the cabbie (number four for the day) to take him to the address on the piece of scrap paper, and then settled back into the cab and waited. The previous traffic problems seemed to melt away, unusual for that hour, and the cab seemed to reach its destination all too quickly, though in truth it had taken them a good hour to get there. Kyo had thought that he would have at least some more time to mull over in his head what he was going to say, but it seemed fate was not going to be that generous.

Looking over the apartment building that he was now in front of, Kyo felt surprisingly introspective. There was nothing really special about it per say. There were hundreds if not thousands of other buildings just like it scattered all over Osaka. But each one contained thousands of people, all with their own lives, all doing what they could to survive…

Kyo gently reminded himself not to spend so much time philosophizing. It was a bad habit for a man who lived by his fists to get into.

After signing in at the front desk (the watchmen wanted an extra signature as a souvenir) and taking the elevator up to the fourth floor, Kyo walked into the hallway where Yuki's apartment was supposedly located. It was all so bland and lifeless, badly lit too, sort of an underwhelming location for what was supposed to be a dramatic reunion. Provided Yuki was even living here. Did Kyo read that address correctly?

Summoning up the courage to confront the issue once and for all, Kyo went up to the small apartment door and knocked three times. He waited for a few seconds and then knocked again; still no one could be heard on the other side. He thought about knocking even louder, but decided against it. There was no sense alarming the other occupants of the floor. Yuki either really did not live there or maybe she was out doing something. Kyo really did not want to wait around and find out what that something was.

He went back down the elevator and was ready to exit out the lobby when he was stopped cold. Coming right through the entrance with a bag of groceries in each hand was Yuki. Kyo had to admit that God had one wickedly dry sense of humor, or maybe Kyo simply had a lousy sense of timing.

Yuki did not even notice Kyo at first. She simply brushed by him in a rush to get into the available elevator. She might have very well have done so if the watchman had not made a comment.

"Oh, Miss Kushinada, guess who's here to see you! I didn't know you had such famous friends!" The watchmen just continued to stand there with a big idiotic grin on his face. Kyo was seriously considering making an exception on his policy about not punching out people with no means to defend themselves. Yuki turned around, and once she got a look at her visitor promptly lost grip of her groceries. Thankfully, Kyo was able to use his highly tuned reflexes to catch them before they made a mess on the floor.

After regaining her wits, Yuki took a seat on one of the couches in the lobby. She took one look at Kyo and immediately one question came to mind.

"That a lot of leather you're wearing there. Did you have to slaughter a cow or something to get it?"

Kyo was more than a little taken aback. "That's not really what I was expecting."

"Still no manners I see."

"I'm getting tired of people saying that about me." Kyo looked over and noticed the watchman was _still_ looking at them. "Hey man, can't you give us some privacy?"

"Can I get another autograph? For my son."

"I'll think about it, _after _you leave."

The watchman shuffled off with a rather dejected look on his face.

Yuki watched the whole scene unfold in front of her with great amusement. "You don't treat your fans very well Kyo. You still have not matured a lot."

"I'm getting even more tired of people saying that about me." Kyo shook his head for a moment. "You know, maybe it was a mistake for me to come here and trouble you…"

Yuki's slap stopped Kyo dead in his tracks. For a moment he stood there frozen in shock. Even in the old days, when they still saw each other on a daily basis, Yuki was liable to erupt in anger in him over a single ill-made comment. He could see the years had not mellowed her out in that regard.

"Don't you even start…" she began, "All of these years waiting, and you're talking about running off again? Unbelievable!"

"What if I told you I had a really good reason? At least for the first few years, I'll admit I kind of screwed up after that."

Yuki looked at Kyo straight in the eyes. "Kyo, do you remember the last thing I said to you before you went off?"

A light went off in Kyo's mind. "Yeah I remember. You said, "I'll wait for you Kyo, always.""

"Well?" Yuki looked very impatient.

"I thought that was a figure of speech."

Yuki slapped Kyo once again.

"I waited Kyo. I waited a really long time. It got to the point where I wondered what the hell I was doing waiting for someone who seemed to have just disappeared, but some part deep inside of me said that I should stay true to my promise. And now you're here in front of me, and… and…" Yuki was trying her best not to lose her composure. Not at this moment, not when she had so much to say.

Kyo stood there for a moment, considering what he should do. It was because he had been holding back so many secrets that he had gotten into trouble in the first place, but if he blurted out everything out right now it would come off as ridiculous. After all, a tale of mad scientists, clones, space stations, guys who looked like girls, and magical supermen (in that order) would have come off as pure fiction to him if he had not witnessed it all first hand. Then there was Orochi… Kyo hated to think that Yuki might get mixed up in that business again. She had no idea how important she was to all of that, and if he had had it his way, she never would; it would be an awful burden to shoulder.

Really, Kyo did not have the faintest idea of what to say to Yuki. So he did the one thing he felt was appropriate, he slowly wrapped his arms around her and held her until she finally calmed down.

Yuki looked up at Kyo again. "Why did it take you so long to do that?"

"I've been out of practice."

"It's nice. It makes me feel that it was worth all the waiting."

It suddenly occurred to Kyo what he should ask Yuki. "Hey Yuki… I know this is sudden, but are you free this weekend? I'm heading to Tokyo. Maybe we can talk more about things on the way there."

Yuki smiled. "Well I had some homework for class that I wanted to get out of the way…"

"You're in school?"

"Like you said, we can talk about it on the way. Let me just go upstairs to get something ready." She looked over at her groceries, "I don't think we want to take those with us to Tokyo."

Kyo picked up the bags and walked over to the elevator. "Well let's get a move on missy, time's a wasting!"

"Whatever happened to ladies first? You really do not have any manners Kyo." Yuki chided him as the elevator doors closed behind them.

Kyo had to concede that coming back to Osaka had not been such a bad experience after all.

End Chapter

_I know, I'm evil. You waited two weeks to see what happened to Ranma, and you got a chapter about Kyo instead. Sorry, it was needed to move the story forward. The good news is in the next chapter we get back to the situation in Nerima and that will be posted next week._

_Now, last chapter got quite a few reviews, and people had a lot of observations about what happened. The major division was over Ranma losing, or more to the point, how he lost. That was the first time in my life that I have written a fight scene, and I think it came out well all things considered. There is a lot of room for improvement though, and I think the future battles will end up being even better reads. I just did not want to get bogged down in minute details about how Ranma and Ryo fought, as it would drag down the pace of the story._

_Let me address some more specific comments._

_Chm01: Ranma's chances of winning will be address in a future chapter. Sorry I cannot say anymore for now._

_Tribun: Yes, there could be some drastic consequences if nothing was done. Good thing someone is going to try something, otherwise we would not have much of a story going on here. But honestly, your comments gave me a lot to think about as I edit my work, thank you._

_Chaosmagez: It was not as one-sided as you might think. Remember here, Ryo is much older and experienced than Ranma, yet he was still put on his guard by the younger man. Yeah Ranma took a beating, but Ryo had to reconsider his opinion of Ranma's abilities. If Ryo had just flattened him with basic attacks I could see your point, by Ryo was using some of his most powerful techniques to take him down._

_eac: Yeah, a lot of people tend to overrate Ranma's power when they write a story. Remember, Cologne and Happosai are still stronger than him at the end of the manga, and Herb is still arguably more powerful than him as well. Ranma is strong for his age, but he has a lot of room to grow. The trick is to write that growth in a convincing manner._

_Cat on a Shtick: My humor is a little on the dry side, I'll be the first to admit that. Still, there have been jokes in the story from the first chapter. I guess if it's not all that funny I could always remove the humor subgenre, but for now I'll just try and punch up the text a bit. Again, thanks for the input._

_OlympicHam: Some of your points were already addressed elsewhere, but let's talk about Ranma's honor a bit. First of all, very few people outside of Nerima and the Amazon village had any idea of what Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu was before this fight, and frankly even if they did, they would not care all that much. Yeah, Ranma made a damn fool out of himself, but he does that a lot anyway .He's still a kid, as Robert aptly pointed out to Ryo, and they make mistakes all the time. You can learn from your mistakes, if you have the right insight and the honesty to confront your faults, but first you have to learn from hard experience what works and what does not. Ranma just had that demonstrated to him in a very vivid way. Also, considering one of the underlying themes of Ranma ½ is that honor can be a very fickle and absurd thing; I do not think Ranma life would be forever ruined by something like this, unless he lets himself be ruined by it._

_I should also clarify something. That news crew I described was from a local station. Very few people in Tokyo let alone the rest of the world would know about that fight unless they made it a point to research such things. The loss is there, but Ranma is not going to be known as a loser to everyone he meets. Well there might be one or two… but that is best left for another time._

_Thank you for your comment, this one really made me think hard about certain elements in the story._

_epsilonSquared: I'm not sure the Hiryu Shoten Ha would work the way I described it either. Still, the manga showed that Ranma was very clever in how he could modify that technique, so I just went with it. Just one of those things, you know?_

_Fionn the Otaku: Ranma really did not have any time to react. It was a quick, nasty battle with an opponent who really knew his stuff, so Ranma had less time to think through his strategy then he might otherwise. If Ranma had come into this fight not thinking he was the favorite, he might have devised some better ways of countering Ryo. He would not make the same mistake twice however._

_Everyone else who has also read and/or reviewed my fic, thank you! I really appreciate it and hope to continue to entertain you. Until next time, stay well! _


	7. A Second Chance?

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all associated licensers. The King of Fighters and it associated series are the property of SNK-Playmore and all associated licensers. This is not a work for profit. I claim no rights to the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Continuity for Ranma is mostly derived from the manga, with some of the anime sprinkled in for good measure. Continuity for the King of Fighters is a modified form of the current story, how that is should be explained in story, but I am willing to explain for those with further questions.

Enjoy!

Chapter 7

"Are you sure we're going in the right direction? I swear we just went past this building ten minutes ago."

"Sure I'm sure. What do you think GPS is for?"

"I don't trust machines. Machines lack proper spirit."

"You don't trust machines because you're a borderline illiterate who spent too much time getting hit on the head when you were a kid."

"You don't know anything Robster! I'm the one who lovingly put together my Harley from scraps! What did you do? Buy another Ferrari with your Daddy's money?"

"For your information this is a BMW. As I already said, you're illiterate. Plus that death trap on wheels you call a motorcycle would have never gotten through customs, which is why you happen to be bumming a ride from me. Also, don't call me "Robster" or "Bobbo" or any of your other weird made up nicknames."

"Yeah? Well, why don't you stop…"

"Don't even start with that one Ryo. You finish that sentence and I'm throwing you out of this car, and I won't bother stopping it before I do."

Ryo Sakazaki sunk back into his seat in resigned defeat. Robert had gotten the best of him this time. Stupid, conceited, fancy-pants rich boy, why had he ever befriended this guy in the first place? Why, if Ryo had not needed Robert to get him around Tokyo, he would have punched him so hard his father would have felt it back in Naples!

For his part, Robert was in a pretty miserable mood aside from Ryo's immature nagging. It was early Tuesday evening, not 72 hours since his fight with Kyo Kusanagi in Shinjuku. Kusanagi had been in particularly fine form that evening, as if he were more motivated to win than usual. It was a miracle that Robert managed to earn a draw with him, the odds had been against him to begin with, but the result was that Robert was still aching even now.

And here he was, chauffeuring around Ryo, and the blockhead had the gall to be ungrateful about it! They were not even supposed to still be in Japan, but Ryo had insisted he had unfinished business here before they could head back to the States. For a guy who often bemoaned his crappy luck, Ryo seemed to be getting a lot of things his way lately.

"Please make left turn at next light." The GPS robotically called out. Robert complied and made a smooth turn down a side avenue. It was a good thing he did have the guidance system installed in his car, he would have never been able to find this place otherwise. Nerima was a deceptively large place, really a city in its own right, but then again that could be said about any of the wards of Tokyo.

Ryo and Robert's destination was a small dojo located somewhere deep within the ward. Supposedly, it was where that Saotome kid was currently living; at least that was what the agents from the Garcia Foundation had told them. Robert hated using his family's resources for this kind of stuff, but Ryo had been so insistent, he would have never let it go until he got his way. As to exactly why he wanted to speak to Saotome, Robert had a good enough idea. Ever since they were young, Ryo had been of a prickly temperament. One moment he would be belligerent when his strong sense of pride was offended, the next he would be sorry that he let his anger get the better of him.

I warned him, Robert thought. He should have just let the whole thing with the kid slide to begin with, but he pushed it until it a fight would be the only outcome. Now he's got remorse for showing Saotome up, making him look bad in front of his friends and family. Should have thought about that before you challenged him Ryo, what are you going to do about it now? You don't know the kid, what can you do or say that's going to make a difference here? Just leave things be, like you should have from the get go.

Yeah right, like Ryo would ever listen to that argument. It was that stubborn desire to always do what he thought was right that made Robert admire his friend so much. Maybe the meeting would turn out badly, but whatever happened Ryo would see the business through because he would never accept ending it until the terms were to his satisfaction.

Within moments of turning down the street, the Tendo dojo came into view. It was hard to miss it. Japanese homes tended to be small, but the dojo and the attached house was large even by American standards. Were these Tendos wealthy or something? It would have been mentioned in the report. His people were nothing if not thorough, but there was always the possibility something was overlooked.

After parking across the street, Robert was about to exit the car when Ryo stopped him.

"I don't need back up on this one Rob. I have to do it alone."

"You sure about that? I got all dressed up for the party." Robert said as he adjusted the lapels on his designer suit. "Plus, with your famous conversational skills, you'll be lucky to get out of there in one piece without me covering your back."

"Very funny, but I'm serious about this. Just wait for me here."

"How long should I wait? I figure about two minutes and you'll be running for your life."

Ryo responded to this comment in the most tactful way he knew; he flipped Robert the bird as he exited the car.

As he crossed the street, Ryo checked to make sure his clothes was in order. He was dressed in a button down shirt and slacks, which for him was a level of formality that he was rarely comfortable with. Ryo preferred his training clothes over all other forms of dress; he would live in them if he could get away with it. After all his fashion sense, at least when compared to Robert's, was something less than optimal. Going to the home of an opponent however required diplomacy, and so he stepped out of his comfort zone for this occasion. He just hoped those lessons his father had given him in Japanese etiquette when he was still a kid would help.

Ryo screwed up the courage to walk up to the front door. He took a deep breath and rang the bell. He found himself waiting without any response, and so he rang the bell again. No answer, so then he knocked on the door, a soft rap at first, but after a few seconds it intensified into an all out pounding. Ryo was about to start shouting when it dawned on him that this was probably a _bad_ example of etiquette, Japanese or otherwise. However, Ryo was far too stubborn to just walk away simply because he got no immediate response, so he waited.

The minutes past and still no answer came from the door. Ryo decided to sit down on the ground so he could rest his feet. Sure his pants would get dirty and it would look odd to anyone walking by, but at this point he was going to stay in front of the Tendo house until something happened. A random pedestrian walking down past the house glanced over at Ryo. The martial artist acknowledged the gesture with a slight wave of his hand. The pedestrian stopped for a moment and took a hard glance at the situation. Then he remembered just whose house it was, shook his head in resignation, and took off mumbling about how Nerima just was not what it used to be. Ryo was left very confused.

Still sitting in his car, Robert watched his friend as he continued his wait. It was painful. Sure, Ryo was a blowhard and slightly annoying at times, but he deserved better than this! Poor guy was making an honest effort of it, and these people could not even be bothered to open the door? Then again, Ryo did beat up their friend/relation/whatever. Maybe they were just scared of him.

* * *

"I say we should let him in." Kasumi pleaded. "Maybe he just wants to talk. No one dressed that nicely could possibly be that bad!"

"I agree Sis. Let him in… after we charge him an admittance fee."

"Nabiki!"

"What? I lost my big chance to strike it rich thanks to that grubby foreigner." Nabiki was truly angry about that one. Ranma fouled it up because he lacked what it took to win, but she would hold this Sakazaki fellow responsible as well for her misfortune.

"More than that my daughters, that man has sowed discord into our family. I simply will not let such a person past the door." Soun Tendo was practically weeping in sorrow as he spoke those words. He was also very afraid. What if that beast of a fighter decided to break down the door and simply destroy the house? It was not as if anyone was strong enough to stop him, the fight at Shakujii had demonstrated that. Well Happosai could fight him off, but that would be a cure worse than the illness itself!

"Well we have to make some sort of decision. Letting him just stand there would be plain rude." For Kasumi Tendo, there was no sin greater in the world than rudeness, well except maybe dirtiness, but it was a tough call. "What do you say Akane?"

Akane was extremely conflicted. The past few days had been rough, but about the last thing she would have ever expected was Ryo Sakazaki showing up at the door of her house. Of course seeing how weird her life had become over the past year, she should have expected it. Everyone that entered Ranma's circle of acquaintance seemed to become further drawn in, like some black hole.

Regardless of that, what should she do? Akane felt certain that despite her father's fears, Sakazaki was not here for a fight. He just did not seem to be that sort of man from her brief interactions with him. Maybe it was foolish to assume, but she thought he has a real sense of honor. Ranma was out of the house at the moment anyway, so if she invited this guy in and he turned out to be full of it, she could remove him before he caused any trouble… at least Akane hoped she could.

"I think we should let him in." Akane said having come to a decision. "I'm sure Mr. Sakazaki has a good reason for being here, and I want to find out what that is."

"But we will charge him an entrance fee too, right?" Nabiki asked hopefully.

"No sister, we're not going to do that." Akane replied bluntly.

"You know sometimes, I wonder if we're even truly related." Nabiki said as she walked off to the kitchen to get something to drink. This was going to be a _long_ night.

Kasumi, feeling vindicated in her decision, walked over to the door to open it up. Soun dashed to a nearby closet to hide (in case his worst fears were confirmed) while Akane prepared herself for whatever would come next.

"I told you to stay in the car and not come over here, do I have to beat that into to you thick head!" Ryo barked at Robert as he saw his friend walk over to him. Of course he was saying all of this in English, so Kasumi had no idea why the strange blond man was screaming as she opened the door. This combined with the fact that Ryo was only a few inches away (he had walked up to the door again while waiting) and had a generally angry look on his face meant that the normally composed and unflappable Kasumi was for once taken aback. Maybe it had not been such a good idea to let this man into the house after all.

"Oh, hello there to you sir, how are you?" Kasumi meekly said to Ryo as she bowed. She also noticed Robert walking up to the door and bowed deeply to him as well. It was Ryo's turn to be caught off guard. He had no idea who Ranma lived with and was surprised to see such a graceful young woman greet him. He quickly snapped out of his angry state and awkwardly bowed to her while profusely apologizing in Japanese for coming to her home.

"Would you like to come in sir?" Kasumi asked, slightly more confident now that Ryo had calmed down and acted with respect towards her.

"Uh yeah, that would be great. And please, just call me Ryo. I hate it when people get all formal with me."

"Very good then, Mr. Ryo, and your friend there is?"

"Robert Garcia. And I must say it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss?" Robert said with his customary Latin charm. Sure he was taken, but a fine lady like that? He was allowed to flirt a little bit!

"Kasumi Tendo."

Ryo was about to shoot Robert a sour look when he caught Kasumi's name. Sure, it was a common name for Japanese females, but whenever he heard that name it reminded him of Todoh's wacky daughter, always chasing him around to claim "revenge." Was this supposed to be some sort of bad omen or something?

"Well then Miss Tendo, if you would be kind enough to let us in, we can explain our reason for coming here." Robert then leaned in to Ryo and whispered, "This is exactly why you need me here in the first place, to smooth things out. See how well it's going?"

Ryo had to try hard to keep his temper in check. "Well from this point forward, you let me do most of the talking alright? Especially with the kid, understand?"

"Hey man, you're the boss here. I just made it all possible in the first place."

Kasumi led Ryo and Robert into the house. The Kyokugen pair took a good look at their surroundings as they walked through. The rooms were large and clean and tactfully decorated, not really anything like Robert had expected from what his sources had told him. Seriously, were these Tendos rich or not? What was up with that? And the panda in the corner…

Wait, a panda? Ryo and Robert looked at the beast lounging in a corner, completely at ease.

"Ah, interesting pet you got there." Ryo said as he tried to make conversation.

"Oh, that's not a pet. That's Mr. Saotome, Ranma's father." Kasumi cheerfully corrected him. Ryo and Robert raised their eyebrows in confusion. Akane's eyes got very wide as Kasumi made that remark. It was _not_ a good idea to talk about the Jusenkyo curses at this point.

"Oh Kasumi you joker, telling our visitors a silly story like that, you see we actually named the panda after Mr. Saotome, as a joke." Kasumi looked a little offended at Akane's correction, but then it dawned on her why her sister might have done that.

"Oh yes, you know how I always like making jokes." She giggled.

In English, Ryo whispered to Robert, "That doesn't seem like a very funny joke to me."

"If you're a smart man Ryo, you'll always laugh along with a lady." And so the two men politely laughed along with the Tendos.

It was around this time that Soun decided it was safe to come out of the closet (not in that way) and greet the visitors. Genma chose to grunt and roll over, hoping he could still fall asleep despite the racket. As far as he was concerned, his idiot son had already gotten what was coming to him, there was no need to get involved any deeper in all of this as it did not seem to have any relevance to Ranma and Akane's relationship. Besides, if he did bother to butt in it would probably just end up with him getting yelled at or beaten up anyway.

As Soun began to walk over, Ryo again had to do a double take. While he quickly realized Soun was not Ryuhaku Todoh, he swore the older man could pass for Todoh's long lost brother. In the very short period since he had entered the Tendo home, Ryo had been bombarded with one strange thing after another. His brain went numb for a moment, and he almost forgot to bow in greeting to Soun until Robert prompted him. Suddenly he was happy his friend had decided to come with him into the house after all, he had no idea how he might have managed otherwise.

Once everyone else was seated comfortably (Nabiki had decided to rejoin the group out of sheer boredom from her homework), Kasumi went off to prepare some tea. Finally able to get down to business, Ryo cut straight to the point.

"Is that Ranma kid around? I don't want to be rude, but the primary reason I came here was to speak to him."

"Ranma is out right now." Akane responded coolly. To be honest she had no idea where Ranma was. He had spent most of the past few days moody and insufferably rude to everyone around him.

He had never taken defeat well of course, but this time it was at a whole new level. Akane had nearly taken his head off the other day when he started screaming at her over dinner, and even Ukyo and Shampoo had been rebuffed when they offered food to him at school. And Kuno… he was lucky not to have ended up in traction after he mocked Ranma about his "comeuppance." At it stood the kendo captain had decided to avoid his rival the next day, which was very unusual behavior, and a sign of how just much Kuno now feared Ranma. After school Ranma took off for only God knows where, and nobody was willing to follow him. Not that Akane was going to share any of this information with Ryo, but it did put her in a tough spot. What would Ryo do if Ranma did not show up soon?

"Why do you want to talk to Ranma? Do you want to apologize?" Kasumi asked as she reentered the room with tea. "I have to say, it was very mean how you beat him up in the park." Her smile as she said those words seemed benign enough, but there was something distinctly unsettling about it.

Ryo was again taken aback. Was this young woman that naïve? Or was it just a cover for her true, more cunning nature? It made him uneasy just thinking about it. He fumbled to find the right words to address her.

"Well, it's not that simple. He insulted my school you see… and I had to defend it. Now that I feel that our differences have been settled in combat, I was hoping for a… a… a settlement you see. I mean… he's a talented martial artist, this kid, your friend, and I was hoping…"

"I understand Mr. Sakazaki, thank you very much for explaining." Kasumi interrupted. Her smile was still as wide as ever, and it just made Ryo even more uncomfortable. Blasted women and their passive-aggressive ways!

Robert broke out laughing. "Oh man, she totally got you there Ryo. You still have a ways to go my friend."

Ryo was not amused. "You got a problem with me Garcia? I'll pound your head into meatloaf, right here, right now!"

"Come on, not in front of the ladies Ryo, that's just tasteless. And come up with some better threats already! Meatloaf? Where are you getting this stuff? 30's gangster's films?"

"You two seem like really good friends." Kasumi said, still beaming. It snapped the duo out of their argument, and left both Akane and Nabiki lifting their eyebrows at their sister's choice of words.

Ryo coughed for a moment before responding. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. Rob and I have known each other since we were kids. It's been more than twenty years now, right?"

"Seems about right. Our dads were friends, and mine managed to convince yours to train me at your family's dojo. That was the first time I ever saw America too." Robert smiled as he thought back to those more innocent days.

"Wait, you're not American?" Nabiki asked Robert. "What are you then?"

"Italian."

An Italian man. With the last name Garcia. Then it all hit Nabiki like a ton of bricks as she remembered something from her business journals.

"You're one of _those _Garcias? Like from the Garcia Foundation?" This was one of the few times in Nabiki's life where she could say she was genuinely caught off guard.

"Who are we talking about here Nabiki?" Akane asked. She was confused, what was the big deal?

"Well you see Miss Tendo; my family runs a few businesses. Not to brag, but we've done pretty well for ourselves."

Ryo could only groan as he knew what was coming next.

"Pretty well? You guys are the second largest business conglomerate in the world! You're worth tens of billions of dollars!" Nabiki was still in shock. Akane went into a sort of daze from the revelation, but Kasumi and Soun remained surprisingly calm about the whole thing.

"Forty-two billion dollars in personal assets at last count. And trust me when I say we won't be number two for long." Okay, Robert did like to brag about it sometimes.

"And yet you have devoted yourself to the martial arts, fascinating." Soun said as he finally decided to join in the conversation.

"That's all you have to say dad! This guy is loaded! His family owns a private island in the Mediterranean the size of Nerima!" Nabiki screamed as she turned pale, her composure completely broken. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever believe such an outrageously wealthy individual could be sitting in front of her. It so completely boggled her mind that she could scarcely contemplate of a scheme to try to gain some of that wealth for her own.

"Hey, rich people are still people miss. We don't always jet around the world in search of the next big party. My big passion, outside of business, just happens to be martial arts. And the island's not as big as you make it out to be. If you want I can fly you out there sometime to judge for yourself." Robert flashed a million-dollar smile. The poor girl would never be able to respond to that one.

"But you… you… you could…" Nabiki simply could not understand how someone that rich could be hanging around dirt-poor deadbeat martial artists like Ryo and Ranma!

"Well I feel very happy for Mr. Garcia, but I think we should talk about other things." Kasumi said, hoping to steer the conversation towards a more comfortable subject. All people in the room fixed their attention on her (the panda had fallen asleep). Kasumi was good at that.

"Yeah, I agree with that." Ryo said, thankful that things were moving away from Robert's wealth. "Did you have anything in mind Miss Kasumi?"

"I must admit I am extremely curious about your background Mr. Sakazaki. You are an American, but you have a Japanese name and speak our language so well. And your hair, it's so light, but your face looks Japanese. How is that?"

"That's an easy question to answer. My old man is Japanese, but my mother was American, and I favor her appearance in some ways. I was actually born here in Japan, and moved to the States when I was four."

"Really now? Your mother must be a beautiful woman then." Kasumi seemed fascinated by the whole thing.

"Well…" Ryo began, old memories stirring up as he prepared to talk about one of the few truly painful experiences in his life. Far more painful than any blows he had experienced in his countless fights. Robert noticed the darkening mood in his friend.

"Oh you're one of those haafu huh?" Nabiki spat out as she regained her senses. So this guy was a mongrel she thought, no wonder he was so screwed up.

"Nabiki! That's an awful thing to say!" Akane yelled at her older sister. What was so wrong with Ryo being half-American? After hanging around Ranma for so long, it was downright passé!

"It's just a word, what wrong with you?" Nabiki responded defensively.

"It's all right." Ryo said as he decided to rein this topic in before there was another flare up. "I grew up in America anyway, and that's how I see myself. But to answer the other part of Kasumi's question, I learned Japanese from my dad as part of my training in the martial arts. He wanted my sister and me to always be proud of our Japanese heritage, even if we were citizens of another country."

"You have a sister?" Akane was really interested in that. She had assumed that with his personality, Ryo must have been an only child like Ranma.

"Yeah, my younger sister Yuri, she's back in America with my dad waiting for us to come back."

"Anything else you'd like to add about your sister Ryo?" Robert added slyly. "You only seem to remind me about it every ten minutes." The Tendos were confused by what he meant.

"Oh how could I forget? You and Yuri are both "In Love", that is until she regains her sanity and throws you to the curb." Ryo turned to the Tendo sisters. "Robert's a player, but don't worry girls, I keep him in check… with these fists!" Ryo jumped out of his chair and pumped arms in emphasis.

"Oh my." That was the only reaction that Kasumi could give to such a display.

"Freak." Nabiki muttered under her breath, Akane did not bother censuring her this time.

"Yeah, well… "Ryo came out of his euphoria. "Getting back to the point, we actually made a special trip out of our way to come here. Do you at least have some idea when Ranma will return?"

Akane looked at him rather uncomfortably. "Well as I said to you earlier Mr. Sakazaki, I really don't know where Ranma is right now, or when he will be back. I'm sorry if that inconveniences you."

Akane now felt sympathy for Ryo. She had not been quite sure what to make of the man before, what with all of the craziness surrounding his fight with Ranma, but she found herself liking him a lot more during the course of their conversation. He seemed to have a lot more sense than she would have given him credit for originally. It was strange, rarely could Akane say she felt a sense of admiration for a person she had just met, but Ryo might possibly be one of them. Of course he might also have some sort of horrible dark side. He was kind of weird, and she had met plenty of men, who seemed nice enough at first, and then…

"Uh, you okay there Miss Akane? You seem to be a little distracted." Ryo was concerned. The girl had said something and then just spaced out on him. Weird, not the weirdest thing he had ever seen in his life (or even the Tendo household) but still weird regardless.

"Oh sorry! Yeah, I lost my place there for a moment." Akane was thoroughly embarrassed for herself. Kasumi chuckled lightly at her sister's discomfort. Her younger sister was so cute when she got like that.

"I hate to crash the party here Ryo, but we can't stay here all night." Robert said. "Our hotel is all the way back in Shibuya. We'll never get back in time to prepare for our flight out tomorrow morning if we don't go soon."

"No, give the kid another half-hour. I'm confident he'll be back in that time. Call it a premonition." Ryo coolly replied. The Tendos (sans Nabiki) seemed to be impressed by Ryo's confidence, but Robert knew his friend was just posturing. It would really kill him if they had come out here for nothing, and he was desperately stalling for time. Well, Robert owed his friend enough to at least give in on this request. That kid was probably off sulking somewhere anyway…

* * *

"What the hell is wrong with me?"

Ranma was sitting on a bench in Shakujii Park, unusually glum. He, or she as was the current case (the ladle lady had struck again), prided himself on the ability to work through any hardship, and he had plenty of that in his short life. But ever since his defeat by Ryo near this very spot just a few days before, he had fallen into a deep funk. And the worst part was he did not know why.

For the past few days, Ranma had been treating everyone around him like crap. He could not help himself. It was driving him crazy. Every time Akane, Ryoga, Shampoo, or even Ukyo tried to talk to him, he lashed out. Genma was worthless for this kind of stuff, and Ranma was terrified of approaching his mother in his current state, even if they had been more open with each other recently. Treating his friends and family like that made him feel even worse, and it just reinforced his foul mood.

Was it really because he lost? No, Ranma had lost plenty of fights in his life before. Mostly practice bouts with his father when he was younger, but still he had learned to cope with defeat. Or had he? He was so confused, and he had never been someone who had given much to introspection, which complicated things further. What was he missing here?

"Hey young lady, you okay there?"

Ranma turned up to see a middle-aged man looking at her. She held in her reaction to smack the stranger for approaching her, and simply glared daggers at him.

"Wow, no need to be so hostile! I just saw that you looked troubled."

"What's it to you?"

"Nothing really, just trying to be a good neighbor."

"Huh?"

"I figured you wouldn't recognize me, since this is the first time we ever really talked. I'm Mr. Tanaka, from down the street. You're that girl who lives with the Tendos, right? You're related to that Ranma kid, right? I always see both of you coming to and from that house with the younger Tendo."

"We're cousins." Ranma said bluntly. While she was hardly in the mood to start lying, she figured this Tanaka fellow, who she had never even known existed until all of a minute ago had no need to know her secrets.

"I figured something like that. You know, it's strange I ran into you here of all places."

"And why would that be Mr. Tanaka?" Ranma asked in a flat tone.

The older man seemed encouraged, despite the coolness of Ranma's response. "Well, you know I saw the oddest thing earlier when I was walking over here to the park, although I guess it was not all that strange in context, but still…"

"Spit it out already man!" Now Ranma had lost whatever little patience she had.

"Well, I saw this fellow in front of your home. Real odd too, he had blond hair like a gangster! He was knocking on the door…"

"Wait! You said a guy with blond hair? Tall? Brawny?" Ranma was practically frantic.

"I guess so. He looked tough, and I thought about calling the police on him, but I figured your house was home to some of the finest martial artists in the ward, and they could more then take care of any unwelcome visitor."

"Mr. Tanaka, how long ago was this?"

"About a half-hour ago, maybe forty minutes."

"I have to go!" Ranma got up off of the bench, her mood noticeably brighter. "But really, thanks! Hey, if you're a neighbor, stop by our home sometime! Maybe Kasumi can cook you a meal!" With that, Ranma took off at full speed, desperately trying to get back home as soon as her feet would take her. Only one thought occupied her mind: confront Ryo Sakazaki.

Still standing near the bench, Tanaka watched intently as Ranma ran back towards the Tendo house. Without warning, he dropped down to the ground. He quickly staggered back onto his feet, and started looking around, very confused and disoriented.

"Hey, this isn't the market! What am I doing in the park?" He scratched his head.

Off in the distance, hidden in one of the park's innumerable leafy trees, a young-looking woman dressed in fur with short black hair stood perched on its branches. She moved her fingers deftly as she recalled her strings.

"Ah, that worked just as I had expected." She crowed softly to herself. Normally she would not waste her talents on such trifling matters, but Mukai had insisted it was in line with their master's plans. Still, Mukai owed her for this one. After all, how else would that Saotome boy ever have learned that Ryo Sakazaki was at his home?

"Enough of this, I have more important work to attend to." And with that, Botan disappeared back into the space between dimensions.

* * *

"Ryo, it's almost seven, we can't wait any longer." Robert hated putting his friend on the spot, but come on already!

"Ranma, you jerk!" Akane growled under her breath. Look at how he was embarrassing himself and her family at the same time. And she had thought he was growing more mature too!

"Okay, let's go." Ryo now seemed resigned that a meeting was not to be. He and Robert both got off of the couch they had been sitting on, and started walking back to the front door.

"Mr. Sakazaki, Mr. Garcia will you both be coming back in the future?" Kasumi asked as she followed them, a small frown forming on her lips. She did so enjoy for once having houseguests who did not try to wreck the house.

"We won't be back in Japan anytime soon." Ryo said regretfully. "But if you really want, we can try and stay in touch."

"That would be very nice!" Kasumi smile came back full force. Nabiki gagged in the background.

"Well then, I guess this is goodbye." Ryo said, giving a small bow to the Tendos. He turned back to the door and reached out to grab the knob when…

"Aaaaaaaaah!" Ranma gave out a scream as she thoughtlessly plowed through the entrance. She smashed into Ryo, knocking him clean off his feet. Robert narrowly managed to avoid getting tangled up in the confusion, and look on with astonishment alongside the Tendos.

Ranma was lying on top of a stunned Ryo, her legs straddling his chest. The Kyokugen master recovered his senses, but his eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets as he realized that some strange (if oddly familiar) girl was on top of him.

"Ryo Sakazaki, we meet once more!" Ranma boldly proclaimed.

End Chapter

_Not that much to say about this chapter. Writing the interactions between Ryo and Robert was a lot of fun though. The story is moving along nicely as well. I have another chapter ready for next week, so you won't be waiting very long to see how things work out. Until next time, take care!_


	8. A Man's Strength

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all associated licensers. The King of Fighters and it associated series are the property of SNK-Playmore and all associated licensers. This is not a work for profit. I claim no rights to the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Continuity for Ranma is mostly derived from the manga, with some of the anime sprinkled in for good measure. Continuity for the King of Fighters is a modified form of the current story, how that is should be explained in story, but I am willing to explain for those with further questions.

Enjoy!

Chapter 8

It was closing time at Ucchan's Okonomiyaki. Konatsu was busy sweeping up the floors and cleaning the kitchen, merrily humming a song as he did his work. In the corner Ryoga was sitting by himself, quietly watching the ninja work while he thought about his next plans.

What was he still doing in Nerima at this point anyway? He should be back at Akari's farm, spending time with his girlfriend and enjoying a quiet life in the countryside. Of course it would probably take him months to get there with his lousy sense of direction, but did that not really mean the sooner he went back the better?

Still, his lingering affection for Akane Tendo and his concern for his friend Ranma had kept him planted in Nerima for the time being. Well it was more his concern for Akane at this point, since Ranma had been such an unbearable ass lately. Okay, he was always an ass in Ryoga's eyes, but the past week had taken the cake, and relations between the two had dipped to their lowest point in months.

How could Ranma have been so reckless? Going off to challenge some professional marital artist he barely even knew? It was absurd! But maybe what hurt the most was that Ranma had not even asked Ryoga for help, not once during the whole ordeal. The most he had been able to get were those training sessions, and even then Ryoga had to suggest them first.

If Ranma wanted to do something crazy like that alright, but Ryoga wanted in on the action too! He really thought that Ranma had more trust in him than that, despite all the differences between them. And the less said about Ranma's behavior when Ryoga tried approaching him after the fight the better. That old, nasty, murderous rage began to build up deep in Ryoga's gut after that encounter. He had been spending most of his time since then at Ucchan's, living off of Ukyo and Konatsu's goodwill. It just made Ryoga even more miserable to think that someone else had to go out of their way on his behalf.

"Hey sugar, how are you feeling now?" Ukyo said as she came over to Ryoga's table. She had finished checking the day's profits from the cash register and was content to let her slave… er, 'paid employee' handle the rest of the grunt work.

"I guess I'm better."

"Look Ryoga, I know you well enough at this point to tell when you're lying about something."

"Well to be fair, I'm an awful liar."

Ukyo laughed. "That too, you do tend to wear your heart on your sleeve."

"What am I supposed to feel though? Things are terrible right now. I might as well just wander off until they blow over."

"You could, but you would be running out on your friends, and I think you're a better man than that."

Ryoga flashed with anger. "Can I even call Ranma a friend? I wonder sometimes. He's a first-class jerk, and he expects me go out on a limb for him while I'm supposed to sit around and put up with his crap."

"Your relationship isn't that bad. I know Ranchan would gladly do just about anything for you. More importantly then that, you might be the one person he puts absolute faith in when things are down." Ukyo put a hand on her cheek as she went off in her thoughts. "I wish Ranchan would believe in me as much as he does you. I sometimes wonder how I'm ever going to win over his heart."

Ryoga was still not satisfied by what he was hearing. "You seem to be giving Ranma a lot of leeway here. Didn't he act up around you at school today? You can really just let it go like that and forgive him?"

For just a moment, Ryoga could have sworn he saw Ukyo's eyes grow teary, but it seemed to pass as quickly as it came. "I can. That's the way Ranchan has always been for as long as I've known him. He can be really callous sometimes, and he does hurt the people around him because of that. But deep down I know he regrets it more than anything, and in the end he tries to make good on his mistakes. He just needs time to come around."

"Can it really be that simple?" Ryoga said through clenched teeth, his fangs showing prominently, making his expression look even more severe than it would have on a normal person.

"You know I've been thinking about why Ranchan has been so angry. I think I may have even figured it out." Ukyo said.

"Really? What's your take on it?"

"It's simple. You've beaten Ranchan in a fight before, right? I know of at least a few instances."

"Yeah, I've beaten Ranma before. When I first learned the Shishi Hokodan, I managed to knock him out in one blow. There was also the 'Mark of the Gods' incident. The other times… it wasn't so easy."

"Well what would happen after that? After he would lose I mean."

"What happened?" Ryoga seemed confused by what Ukyo was asking him. "Ranma always figured out a way to counteract my new abilities. I would lose… again."

"Exactly!" Ukyo said, her voice becoming excited. "You see, Ranchan's not angry about losing. He understands that's all part of being a martial artist. It more the fact that he feels he can't do anything to correct it. I mean, the guy who defeated him is probably back in America at this point."

"I think that's right."

"So it's not like Ranchan can just challenge him to a rematch and try to avenge his defeat."

Ryoga's eyes grew wide as he began to understand Ukyo's words. "I get it! Ranma wants to be able to prove himself against that guy."

"Yeah, Ranchan just feels the whole thing is incomplete. Like a story with no ending to it."

"But Ukyo," Ryoga grew worried as another thought occurred to him. "If it is like you say, and Ranma does want to fight that guy again, and he can't, then won't he just go on being angry?"

Ukyo nearly fell out of chair at that point. She really had not considered the consequences of Ranma being stuck in a rut without any end in sight.

"Well, maybe it will all work out for the best." she said hopefully. Ukyo and Ryoga both stared at one another for a moment, and then sighed deeply.

Konatsu continued to joyfully hum as he completed his work.

* * *

Ryo Sakazaki prided himself as a martial artist who tirelessly trained his body and mind to be ready for any kind of enemy attack. He was not however, ready for a very petite young red-headed girl with seemingly unnatural strength tackling him and then gloating about how she would get even. Honestly, he had enough weirdoes gunning for him as it was; he really needed this like a hole in the head.

"You thought you'd come here and humiliate me in my home, huh? I'll show you up good Sakazaki!" The redhead gloated.

"Do I know you Miss?" Ryo asked, feeling very uncomfortable that the girl was _still_ straddling him. "If you have a problem with me fine, but at least let me get back on my feet before I accept any challenges."

Akane was appalled, which to be fair happened just about every couple of hours when it related to Ranma's behavior. The bonehead somehow found out Ryo was at their house, yet despite getting himself changed into a female, lacked the common sense to turn back again before coming home! Even worse, he was so excited he seemed oblivious to it even now. He had gotten enough public exposure over the last week, did he want to blow the cover on his curse and become even more of a spectacle? Akane had to think of something and fast if she was going to get Ranma out of this mess. Thankfully she remembered an old ploy that had worked once before.

"Ranko!" she yelled as she planted her fist squarely in Ranma's face. "How dare you treat a guest to our home so rudely!"

Ranma was knocked off of Ryo by the force of Akane's blow. Robert and Ryo gazed on in horror. They had seen plenty of female fighters duke it out with one another in their time, they had even fought many of those fighters themselves, but the sheer violence of the scene before them seemed way beyond the pale.

"Woah, woah, woah there ladies!" Robert intervened as he pulled Akane back. "I don't know what's going on here, but I don't like it one bit." He managed to pull her back (carefully, as he was a gentleman after all) and separate her from Ranma. It all happened so quickly the other Tendos had no time to react. Soun in particular took notice of Robert's movements. He possessed incredible reaction time and self-control. It was clear to Soun that this man was a master in his own right, despite not yet having seen him fight.

Meanwhile, Ryo got back onto his feet, and feeling concerned for the red-haired girl, walked over to check on her.

"You okay there Miss? That was quite some blow you took there. You're one tough cookie if I say so myself." Ryo said as he reached his arm out to help Ranma back up. Ranma had not yet shook off her daze from Akane's blow, and seeing Ryo's hand in front of her, grabbed it instinctively. After helping her up, Ryo looked her over.

Nope, I don't know this girl from anywhere, he thought. Regardless, he did have a vague sense of déjà vu about her, as if she reminded him of Ranma in some way. Were they related?

By now Ranma had reclaimed her wits, and realizing just who had helped her up, jumped back defensively. She gazed over Ryo carefully, preparing herself for the battle to begin at any moment.

"Ranko! Get a hold of yourself!" Akane pleaded. By this time, Robert had let her go, confident that she would not do any more violence. He scratched his head in confusion at just what was going.

"Who is this girl Miss Akane? Another one of your sisters?" Robert asked. As far as he knew, Soun only had three daughters, but you could never be too sure about these things.

"Oh no, Mr. Garcia! Ranko is my cousin! She's staying with us along with Ranma." She walked over to where Ranma and Ryo were still staring each other down.

"Ranko, I'm sorry I hit you like that," Akane began, trying her best to subtly cue Ranma to follow along with her story. Unfortunately, to an outsider it just looked like her face was going into spasms. "I know you're angry that Ranma lost to Mr. Sakazaki, and that as a friend you want to avenge him, but this is not the way to do it. Mr. Sakazaki came here in peace. He just wants to talk to Ranma, not have another battle! So please… clam down!"

As Ranma digested Akane's words, a strange thought poked into her head. Talk? What would Sakazaki possibly want to talk about? Ever since he first arrived in Nerima, Ranma Saotome had yet to meet the martial artist who merely wanted to have a "talk" with him. If some fighter showed up, it always boiled down to a confrontation. That was true even with his small circle of friends, let alone strange foreign martial artists.

"Miss Akane is right Miss… Ranko was it?" Ryo said, trying his best to sound conciliatory. "I'm only here to talk. And I'm sorry if I offended you over the fight with Ranma, but this is important. You wouldn't happen to know where Ranma is?"

"He's outside." Ranma said defensively. She hated lying, but it was an evil necessity in this situation. Come to think of it, that tomboy Akane had saved her from blowing the lid on his/her secret, and Ranma did appreciate that. She just wished Akane could have been less violent about it. Akane had been getting better about that, and now she had to go and ruin it.

"Well is he going to come in?" asked Ryo, sounding a lot harsher than wanted to.

"I'll go get him." Ranma said as she walked back out the door. Unbeknownst to Ryo and Robert, Ranma snuck around the side of house to get into the bathroom, so that she could use the hot water to change back. By this point in her life, Ranma was so efficient at such changes that she was done in less than a minute, and the now male teenage was back at the front door as if he really had just walked across the street.

"Hey there Sakazaki," Ranma said coolly, trying to act as differently from "Ranko" as possible to not further elicit suspicion. "I heard you had "business" with me. So what do you want?"

"Where's Akane's cousin? She's not coming back inside?" Ryo asked.

Ranma scrambled to come up with an excuse. "She said she didn't want any more to do with you." Ouch. That came out a lot harsher than Ranma had hoped it would. Maybe he would end up fighting Ryo this day, but he did not want it to be because he stuck his foot in his mouth again.

"Fair enough, but next time you see her, tell her that I have no hard feelings."

That was a far more diplomatic response than Ranma had been expecting. Ryoga would have been breaking the furniture by this point. Others would have been bringing the house down, _literally_.

"So, like I said Sakazaki, what do you want?" Ranma tried to turn the conversation back to focus.

"Just a few words with you, kid. Nothing more and nothing less."

"Fine, but we'll have this conversation in the dojo. Like real martial artists." In truth, Ranma wanted some privacy. If Sakazaki came to gloat or something moronic like that, Ranma did not want the Tendos or his dad to see it. And if things did come down to a fight, well there was no better place to have it than the dojo.

"Robert, cover me on this one." Ryo called out in English as he followed Ranma to the dojo. His friend nodded his head in affirmation, and when the others tried to follow the pair to try to listen in, Robert was there to stop them.

"Sorry to do this people, but I think it's best for those two to settle things alone. Too many cooks spoiling the broth and all that. Come on, we'll wait back in the living room. I'll regale your lovely family with stories about life in the Tuscan countryside."

"But Mr. Garcia, do you think Ranma… I mean Ryo will be okay in there?" Akane asked, her natural snoopiness mixing with badly concealed concern for her fiancé.

"Give Ryo some credit. He may not act like it, but he's an adult, he can handle it." At least I hope he can, Robert mentally tacked on. Still, the younger Tendo's concern for the boy was cute, even if she tried to hide it.

Ranma remained quiet the whole time it took to walk to the dojo. Ryo tried to make small talk, but was completely brushed off by the younger man. Ranma simply could not understand why this guy was acting so friendly to him. A few days ago Sakazaki had been doing nothing but trash talking during their whole fight, belittling Ranma's skills and experience as a martial artist. Now he was acting like it was nothing at all! Was it because he was an American? Genma had always told Ranma that Americans were strange fellows when it came to battle, their concept of honor being incomprehensible to the Japanese. Ranma had never taken it all that seriously, because Genma was typically worthless when it came to judging people's character, but he was starting to have second thoughts in this case.

"Come on kid, this is ridiculous already. I know you can talk. I know you like to talk. There's no sense in trying to play the stoic here." Ryo's comment snapped Ranma out of his train of thought. He turned towards the American, his opponent, his enemy, and for a brief moment considered issuing another challenge.

"Damn it! Why the hell are you here Sakazaki? You really came all the way here for a talk? What's the point of it? You beat me in a fight, and I can live with that. As painful as that was… I can live with that." Ranma paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. "But don't come here trying to act like a friend afterwards! We're not friends, we're rivals!"

"You say those words so seriously." Ryo seemed completely unfazed by Ranma's words. "You're still a kid and you don't yet know what's what in this crazy world. Stop trying to act bigger than you are, it's undignified."

"Stop calling me kid!"

"Why? You're a kid. You're green. It's not a bad thing, it just is."

Ranma was really furious now. If there was one thing that could raise his ire more than anything else, it was someone doubting his manhood. He was a _man_. He had trained too hard, suffered too much, and fought too many foes to be written off as a mere "kid" by anyone.

"I'm no kid! I'm Ranma Saotome of the Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu! I spent most of my life traveling from one part of Asia to another striving to become the best this world has ever seen. Don't go and tell me I don't know what's what. Not when you don't even know me!" Ranma was shaken after giving his speech. His throat hurt from yelling so loud, and he had probably scared half the neighborhood with his shouting.

Ryo shook his head and smiled. "Fair enough, Ranma Saotome." He emphasized the name, showing Ranma that he was ready to address him as an equal. "I'll admit I don't know you all that well, but I can tell you have a lot of potential. That's really why I came here. I want to know what you are planning to do with all that talent. Crashing news conferences just doesn't seem to be all that good a use of it."

"Maybe that was a bad idea," admitted Ranma, "but I wanted to prove to everyone that I could match Kyo Kusanagi."

"Kusanagi would have beaten you as well, Ranma. He didn't win those championships by being a slouch. On top of that, he can be pretty cruel in a fight, even if he is a good guy otherwise. With no hard feelings, he would have sent you straight to the hospital, and unlike me he wouldn't be paying you any courtesy visits afterwards."

Ranma looked down at the floor of the dojo, curling his hands into tight fists. "Was I really that off? Did I screw up that badly? I really thought that with all I've managed to accomplish these past few years, I was the man to beat."

"Look, don't sell yourself short Ranma, because you are strong." Ryo assumed the tone he used with his own students. Running your own karate dojo in a rough neighborhood of a large city gave you insight into how to give advice and perspective to headstrong teens, and that was what Ranma desperately needed right now.

"You think so? That's what I thought too. I was beating guys with powers that didn't even seem human, so I figured I could handle just about anything." Ryoga, Happosai, Taro, Herb, Saffron. They had all been formidable enemies, and there had been other worthy opponents as well. But what if they were only the surface of a greater world of which Ranma had only begun to explore? The whole idea troubled him.

Ryo shook his head. "There are a lot of guys out there with powers and techniques that seem to defy reason. I've seen more than my fair share. You beat one, and then you find out there are a dozen others who are even more powerful than that guy, all of them just waiting to take a crack at you. Still, I'll give you credit, if you had been just a little more focused and a lot less conceited you probably would have beaten me."

"It was that close?" Ranma was astonished by Ryo's comment. The Kyokugen master had managed to neutralize just about every move he had tried using.

"If I had your talent back when I was your age Ranma, my life would have been a lot easier. I was a weakling back then, at least compared to you."

Ranma could hardly believe what he was hearing. Sakazaki was actually abasing himself? "I don't believe that. No guy who could beat me in a fight could be that weak."

"I'll tell you a little story. This isn't something I share with just anyone I meet, so you have to promise me you won't go talking about it to other people."

"On my own honor, I swear I won't say nothing!" With Ranma, that was the most serious promise he could make.

"Alright then, that's good enough for me." Ryo closed his eyes as he drew back into his memories.

"You see when I was a kid I was learning Kyokugen from my dad, just as he had learned from his dad, all the way back to the beginning of our family's history. It was the responsibility of all male offspring in the Sakazaki family to learn Kyokugen, and by that time I was the sole heir to its traditions.

"I was no good at it. No matter how hard my old man pushed me, I just couldn't get the techniques down. He never said anything to discourage me, but I could tell he was worried if the school was going to be able to survive another generation the way things were going. I saw myself as just one big failure.

"Then Robert came along, and at least I had someone who I could practice with. Robert was kind of like you Ranma. He had that natural gift for the art. He would beat me in sparring matches all the time and my dad grew even more worried because of it."

"Well, you just kept on training until you got stronger, right?" Ranma wondered where this story was going. It was clear that Ryo was no weakling now!

"It wasn't quite that straightforward. You see, when I was ten, my mom died. No, to be more precise, she was murdered."

Ranma nearly gasped at that revelation. He knew how much it had hurt the Tendos to lose their mother to sickness. He could not even begin to fathom what it would be like to lose his mother after being separated from her for so many years. Hell, as much as he was loath to admit it, losing his father would be devastating as well.

Ryo could see Ranma was moved by his words. "Yeah I know, terrible stuff right? But I'm hardly the only person to ever have bad things happen to them. My mom used to say, "If you could see everyone else's problems, you'd go running back to your own." And she was right on the money about that one. I'm not telling you any of this to gain sympathy. I'm trying to make a point.

"After my mom died, my dad went after the people who had killed her. He left my little sister and I behind because he was worried that we would become targets too if we followed him. The dojo closed, Robert had to go back to Italy to live with his family, and the relatives I ended up getting sent to were nice, but very old and sick. They had enough trouble providing for themselves, let alone two young kids. After a few years, I dropped out of school and found work in construction. Even at a young age I could pass for an adult, so no one ever questioned me about what I was doing, but it was still rough times.

"When I was fifteen, I decided to start street fighting for extra money. I hadn't trained seriously in years, and the toughs and wandering martial artists who plied their trade in Southtown's underground fighting scene had no mercy for a green punk trying to make a fast buck. I got my ass kicked so many times during that period; I lost count of them after a while. The worst memory I have was when Yuri, that's my sister, found me passed out in some back alley after losing a fight. I had to reassure her that everything would be okay, and then I had to go off for another day of work.

"It was at that point that I realized something. This wasn't about me anymore, what I felt. This was about survival. My survival, my sister's survival, the survival of my family's school of martial arts, they were all in question. All because I had been trying to live up to some standard that only existed in my head. It was all self-imposed. It was just like my dad had said to me years before, "A man's strength cannot be known only by his fist." So I redefined those standards. I was going to win because at that point, losing was no longer an option; having doubts was no longer acceptable. And wouldn't you know it, I started to win. My technique improved, and people started to take notice of Kyokugen Karate once again.

"I won't bore you with all the details of the rest of the story. Robert came back to the U.S. when he turned eighteen. Not too soon after that, I was reunited with my dad, and we reestablished the Kyokugen Dojo. Along the way I met a lot of interesting people, beat up some very nasty fellows, gained revenge for my mother, and poured just about every cent I had into running my school. But most importantly of all, I _survived_. Everything that I was fighting for _survived_."

By this time, Ryo had almost gone off into a trance as he told his story. Ranma simply stood there, not really sure what to say. Finally, something dawned on him.

"What does it all mean, Ryo?"

"Heh, it could mean a lot of things. I have my own answer to life at this point, but it's only applicable to me. You have to figure out _your_ answer for yourself. I'll tell one thing though, when you find it, you might very well become the finest martial artist of your generation. I can see it already."

Ranma did something at that point he almost never did. He bowed. He did not even realize it at first, but the reaction seemed so natural. Most of the adults he had come across in his short life had seemed to be either fools, hypocrites, or criminals, and because of that Ranma Saotome had grown to be rather cynical about his elders in general. But this man, Ryo Sakazaki… he _admired_ him. He seemed to be the sort of martial artist Ranma wanted to grow up to be like.

"Don't bow to me." Ryo said, feeling very uncomfortable about it. "What I said wasn't all that special. You see from this point forward, we're equals, and rivals. I look forward to the day when we can next battle, Ranma Saotome. Train yourself, clear your mind, and then challenge me with your full power. We'll see who comes out on top then."

"I won't lose Ryo." Ranma said, having risen from his bow, his normal confident smirk back on his face. "You'll see Ryo Sakazaki; I'll beat you next time for sure!"

"Hey, don't get cocky there kid! I'm not going to slack off either." Ryo stretched a bit, as if to show he was already training. He did however concede to himself that he would have to do _a lot_ of training if he was going to keep ahead of Ranma.

"Didn't I tell you to stop calling me kid?" Ranma yelled at Ryo. They paused for a moment, and then started to burst out in laughter.

"Well, I've said my peace. See you around Ranma." Ryo began to turn back to the dojo's exit.

"Ryo, wait! I still have to ask you one more thing!" Ranma called out.

"What?"

"Prize fighting, I know now why you originally went into it, but why do you still compete? You have your own dojo, and your pride. It seems pointless to fight for the enjoyment of others."

Ryo chuckled at the younger man's remarks. "You're looking at the thing all wrong Ranma. I don't fight for the amusement of others. It's not about the money either. In fact it's not all that profitable despite the rumors."

"Then what's the reason?"

"Because I like to go out there and see how I stack up against the competition. There's no better way that I know of to meet elite martial artists then at those tournaments, particularly the "King of Fighters" tournament."

"King of Fighters?" What kind of tournament was that Ranma wondered?

"It's the biggest tournament of them all, where only the very best fighters enter. You know those four World Championship titles that Kyo Kusanagi won? That was at the KoF tournament."

"Have you ever won one of those tournaments?"

Ryo scratched the back of his head. "Not yet. But I haven't given up. I'm sure there's another KoF tournament around the corner, and this time Kyokugen Karate will dominate it!"

"Maybe I'll join it as well!" Ranma was very excited by the prospect. He could fight Ryo again, and promote his style to the whole world at the same time!

"It's not that simple. KoF is invitation only, and you're kind of young to be entering it. I mean, I know a lot of teenagers who have competed in it, but I've never really liked the idea. Maybe after you graduate high school you can participate."

"Graduate high school? That's almost two years away! Besides, school is stupid. Why waste my time there?"

"You will stay in school." Ryo's face turned very serious for a moment. "I never had a chance to finish school, remember? Don't blow that opportunity Ranma. Running a dojo is serious business, literally. If I had been able to study and get an education, I could have saved myself a lot of heartache at times."

"You're really serious about that?" Ranma eyed the older man suspiciously. Genma had never emphasized book-learning as important, but then again look how much trouble that fat panda had landed himself in over the years. Maybe there was merit to it all.

"Yeah, so promise me you'll stay in school so you won't end up a big blockhead like me." Ryo smiled sadly as he said those words.

"Alright Ryo, I owe you that much." It would be hard though, Ranma thought. Furinkan was a crazy place, and he would have to balance his rivals and fiancées with his studying. But a promise was a promise.

"Okay then, let's go back into the house, it's getting really late." Ryo slapped Ranma on the back and motioned to return to the Tendo house. The two walked back the whole way in silence.

* * *

"Yeah Karman, I know it's a big favor I'm asking of you, but I need our luggage in the room packed before we get back to the hotel." Robert talked into his cell phone. "Why am I late? Ask Ryo, it was his idea… No Karman, I don't want you to dump him into Tokyo Bay for me… yet." It was going to be a rough night.

Akane was slouched over on the couch, feeling very tired. Nabiki was trying her best to follow along with Robert's conversation, but failing miserably as her English skills were shaky at best. She really should have been paying more attention in class. Kasumi had gone off to do some late night house cleaning (dirt never sleeps), while Soun was playing shogi with Genma, who had snuck off during Robert's storytelling to change back into a man. By the time he had made his grand entrance, everyone else had become so engrossed in other activities that they did not even acknowledge his presence. He ended up having to gain Soun's attention by smacking his over the head with a sign.

"Ranma and Mr. Sakazaki are back." Kasumi announced as she entered the room.

"About time, what could those muscleheads have been talking about for so long?" Nabiki groaned.

"Wuh?" Akane was roused from her fatigue by the mention of Ranma. "They're back? Are they okay?"

She had heard Ranma shouting earlier, and then silence for what seemed at least a half an hour. While Akane did not want to admit it out loud, she was worried that Ranma had gotten into another tussle with Ryo and lost, but decided that she had to give both men more credit than that. Yes, Akane Tendo was once again giving Ranma Saotome the benefit of the doubt. It seemed like it was becoming a new habit of hers, and she had to admit she was growing comfortable with it.

"Look for yourself tomboy." Ranma joked as he entered the room. Akane stuck her tongue out at him, but then broke into a smile.

Robert had just finished up his call. "Geez Ryo. That took you long enough. Not that I didn't mind the company around here." Robert took an absent glance at Kasumi. "But do you realize how late it is? Of course you don't, you're not the one driving us back to the hotel you bum."

"Sorry about that Robert."

"You… You're sorry?" Robert's mouth went agape. "No clever comeback? No snide insults? Now I have to wonder if you're alright."

"Roberino, everything is fine. Let's go."

If Ryo was calling him stupid nicknames, then Robert had to concede that everything was fine.

"It really is a shame to see you two go." Kasumi frowned as her voice was unnaturally sad sounding.

"Like I said, we'll keep in touch Ms. Tendo." Ryo waved as his headed down the hall.

"Ryo," Ranma called out one last time. "Remember what I said."

"Remember _what I said_, kid." He called back. Ranma paused for a moment before he realized what Ryo was alluding to.

"Crap! I have to do my homework!" Ranma raced to the stairs that led up to his room. This was going to an even harder promise to keep then he first thought!

"Homework? What's gotten into the boy?" Genma asked as he raised his head from his game. Soun took the opportunity to cheat, and Genma's attention shifted from his son as quickly as it had came.

"I wonder." Akane said aloud, still confused. What in the world could those two have been talking about?

* * *

Later, after Ryo and Robert had left, Akane went up to Ranma's room to find him huddled over his schoolwork. She knew it would be rude to interrupt him while he was studying so hard (the first time Akane could ever recall such a thing), but her curiosity got the better of her.

"Ranma?"

"Yeah Akane?"

"What's going on here? I mean what happened in the dojo earlier?"

"It was nothing, just man talk. Girls wouldn't understand, even tomboys."

"Why I never! Ranma Saotome you are a piece of work…" Akane cut short her tirade when she noticed just how _happy_ Ranma seemed. "You were pulling my chain, weren't you?"

"Yeah, sorry about that, I have to taunt you once in a while, for old time's sake."

"But really Ranma…" Akane wanted to get back on subject, but Ranma anticipated that.

"I promise I'll tell you one of these days. Just not right now, okay?"

"Well I guess. Good night then." Akane turned to the door.

"Akane? Can I ask you one thing though?"

"Okay. What is it?"

"Do you ever think that sometimes, just maybe, some adults can be cool?"

"I'm not sure I really follow you."

"It's nothing, good night."

Akane left Ranma's room even more confused than when she entered it. Still, he seemed to be back to normal, and for that much she was extremely grateful.

* * *

"So what words of wisdom did you give to the tyro?"

"Huh? Oh, it's none of your business." Ryo replied curtly.

Robert fumed over that remark. It really was a pain in the ass to be friends with this guy.

"Yo Robert."

"What? You want to tell me to stop dating your sister again?" Robert's goodwill was about all exhausted by now.

"You put up a lot from me, don't you?"

"What brought this on?"

"It's nothing. Just thanks, for all the help you gave me during this trip."

Robert sighed. "It's nothing, what are friends for?

"Though if you could stop dating my sister…"

"Don't even try it."

End Chapter

_So ends the first arc of this story. I was quite pleased how this chapter turned out. Hopefully Ranma and Ryo's interaction did not come off as forced. Above all I aspire to give my characters natural sounding dialogue. Much like everything else however, it remains a work in process._

_A point of interest for those who are interested in Ryo's backstory, the way it's described in this chapter is very close to SNK's version of the canon. Just made tweaks to one or two details in order make it sound more logical, nothing more. The rest of Ryo's story can be found out by playing the Art of Fighting and King of Fighters games, so there was no need to go over every point in grueling detail. I think it kind of rambled on a paragraph longer then it should have anyway._

_Next chapter comes two weeks from now. I need some time off to write more and keep ahead of what I'm posting online. To make up for this somewhat, I submit to you something I found that sums up Ryo and Robert's friendship perfectly:_

_you tube .com/watch?v=nduWamVcNqY&NR=1_

_Until next time, take care!_


	9. You Are Cordially Invited

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all associated licensers. The King of Fighters and it associated series are the property of SNK-Playmore and all associated licensers. This is not a work for profit. I claim no rights to the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Continuity for Ranma is mostly derived from the manga, with some of the anime sprinkled in for good measure. Continuity for the King of Fighters is a modified form of the current story, how that is should be explained in story, but I am willing to explain for those with further questions.

Enjoy!

Chapter 9

It had been a week and a half since Ryo's visit to the Tendo house, and things had finally settled down. Ranma had redoubled his efforts as both a martial artist and a scholar, and was beginning to take the stress and weirdness that surrounded his everyday routine in better stride. For once, life seemed to be getting easier for Ranma. Of course he knew it was too good to last, but he would enjoy it while he could.

"Hey Ranma!" Akane called out to him. It was the end of the school day, and he was expecting her to walk home with him.

"Looking for an escort home?" he replied.

"Sorry, you're out of luck there today, you goof. As class president, I have to supervise the cleaning of our homeroom." Akane said. She was smiling, despite the fact that room cleaning was one of her least favorite responsibilities. Still, it made Ranma glad to see her in such good spirits.

This whole class president thing had worked out pretty well. Akane was so engaged in her work that she had less time to obsess over what Ranma was doing and getting into fights with him. This in turn gave him more time to train and study, at least when he was not dodging his other fiancées or some rival bent on revenge.

"Alright then, I'll tell Kasumi to save some dinner for you. See you later tonight."

"Have a safe trip home Ranma… and try not to get splashed with cold water for once."

"Yeah, and maybe Happosai will grow wings and turn into an angel. Thanks for the kind thought though." Ranma gave one last wave and then took off.

As he navigated the streets leading back to the Tendo home, Ranma took time to appreciate the sights around him. Nerima really was not all that bad a place to live: safe, happy, clean, and orderly. He had hated all of that when he first arrived. It seemed so artificial, so cold, an embodiment of the "softness" of modern life that his father had raised him to scorn. Now though, it seemed like the perfect place to live out the next few years of his life. Maybe he could get into college after graduating in Furinkan. He had heard that many of the universities in Tokyo had Physical Education programs available for study. Maybe they could help him learn how to run a dojo? Or not, he really had not looked into them all that hard yet. The point was there were opportunities all around him. How could he have not seen them earlier?

So involved in his thoughts had he become, Ranma barely had time to react to the old lady's daily ritual of throwing out her cold water into the street. That old hag, how much longer was she going to be able to lug that bucket to her front door anyway? This time however, Ranma's reflexes triumphed over the woman's magical aim, and he jumped out of the way before he could be drenched.

"Ha! Too bad granny! Thought you'd get me again did ya?" Ranma taunted her.

"Who are you again? I'm sure I've never met you before, but what a rude young man! This country is going to pot." The old lady moaned as she walked back inside her home.

"Yeah, I love you too, same time tomorrow then?" Ranma could hardly believe it, that woman had no idea of what she had been doing. And he had been so certain that it was all some malicious prank on her part this whole time! He laughed.

Yeah, Nerima really was not all that bad a place after all.

The rest of the trip home was without incident, which oddly enough put Ranma on edge. No one attacked him? How could that be? There was no way his luck could be that good, something always happened to spoiled it.

"The house…" Ranma blurted out. That had to be it! There must be something horrible waiting for him at the Tendo home! Maybe Happosai was there, plotting some devious mischief. Or that cunning old Cologne had set Shampoo up to poison Kasumi's cooking for the family. It could even be that something set off Ryoga's hair trigger temper and he was just spoiling for a fight! Whatever it was, Ranma had to put a stop to it, now! He took off as fast as his legs would take him… which was quite fast (this is Ranma we're talking about here).

Within no time, the Tendo home came into Ranma's view. It seemed normal enough from the outside. No ominous smoke emitting from its windows, no dark clouds hanging over its roof. An encouraging sign to be sure, but still no guarantee that everything was okay. He approached the building carefully, wary of anything (or anyone) that might pop out to ambush him, but nothing did. It simply defied logic; Ranma was having a perfectly normal day!

"Hello, Kasumi? Pops? Mr. Tendo?" Ranma called out.

"Hello Ranma! Back from school so soon?" It was Kasumi's voice that replied to him, the best of all possible options.

"Yeah, I'm back." Ranma now walked through the door, comfortable that everything really was okay.

"I see Akane is not with you. Let me guess, directing afterschool activities again?"

"Cleaning the homeroom to be precise."

"I see, well I guess I'll have to prepare dinner later than usual."

"No problem. I'll start my homework." Ranma was prepared to walk past Kasumi to go up to his room, when a strange thought overtook him. "Kasumi? Nothing odd happened today while I was at school, did it?"

"Define odd."

"Just anything out of the ordinary I guess."

Kasumi put her finger to her chin in thought. "Let me see… Oh yes, there was one thing."

"What?" Ranma's face tightened in concern.

"A letter came for you in the mail."

After picking himself off of the floor, Ranma continued his conversation with Kasumi.

"A letter for me? Well yes, I guess that is odd." While Ranma did occasionally get mail delivered to him, it was rare. Most of what he received was junk, and the rest tended to be bad news of some variety or another.

Kasumi pulled the letter from a pocket in her apron and handed it over to Ranma. While he rarely paid attention to such details, he immediately noticed that this was no ordinary letter. The quality of the envelope alone was remarkable. The paper was sturdy and crisp, lined with what looked like gold paint, and to top it all off, a fancy seal of what appeared to be red wax with matching ribbon was used on the back. On the front side Ranma's name was carefully written in kanji. Whoever put this together had a lot of time and patience on their hands, and a flair for the finer things in life to boot. Ranma again became worried. There were only a few people he knew with that kind of taste, and the most prominent of them were the Kuno siblings. Taking a look at the front of the envelope again, he could see there was no return address printed. What to do then?

"Hey Kasumi, can I go into the kitchen for a minute? I need to take some things from there."

"You may Ranma, but please return them when you are done."

A short time later, Ranma was up in his room, fully equipped for his dangerous task. He had his fireproof (and hopefully chemical resistant) oven mitts, and some long tongs to pull the seal off and remove the letter with. A steel pot on his head served as an ersatz helmet to protect his head from any explosions. Yeah, he was ready for this.

"Here I go." Ranma said as he used the tongs to grip the seal and pull it off. Nothing happened. Okay, but what about the letter itself? Ever so carefully his jostled the contents out from the envelope. Again nothing happened. Now, for the final step, he took the largest piece of paper and slowly unfolded it and set it flat on his desk. There were several other items he had removed, but he chose to focus on this first. He examined the text carefully, and it contents were odd, to put it mildly.

On the top of the letter was a note written in English. For Ranma, it might as well have been written in Swahili, since what knowledge of that language he had was confined to the spoken word. Below it though, was another mass of text, this one written in extremely formal Japanese. That seemed to lend credence to the idea that Kuno had written it, since he loved to write as if he were some samurai poet from the Edo period, but Ranma decided to continue reading regardless.

The text read as followed:

_To Ranma Saotome:_

_Rejoice young warrior, for the stories of your deeds have reached far outside the boundaries of Nerima ward. It is with great honor that I invite you, Ranma Saotome, and two teammates of your choice to participate in a special event. The King of Fighters tournament, where only the mightiest may compete, is being held on August 1__st__. All additional information has been included with the other materials I have sent you, as well as three plane tickets and three passes for you and your teammates. _

_I do hope that you take me up on this offer. The prize for winning this tournament is wealth beyond your imagination, as well as the respect of your peers in the martial arts community the world over. An opportunity such as this is but once in a lifetime, so please be sure to arrive on time and ready to compete. I wish you the best of luck in this endeavor._

_Sincerely,_

_Rose Bernstein_

Rose Bernstein? Who the heck was that supposed to be? But more importantly, had Ranma just been invited to the King of Fighters tournament? _That_ King of Fighters tournament Ryo had mentioned? The one where the winner was declared undisputed World Champion? There was only one reaction Ranma could think of to that.

"I'm so ready for this."

* * *

It was closing time at the Nekohanten. Shampoo stood near the door wishing the customers farewell as they exited the restaurant. Mousse on the other hand was left to clean the floors. Cologne was perched carefully on her walking stick, watching the young man's every move, ready to violently correct him if he left even the slightest speck of dirt on the floor.

"Clumsy boy, go over this spot once again!" she shouted as she hopped over to an area near the back tables. Mousse grunted and returned there, beginning his efforts anew.

Why the hell am I doing this? It was a question that Mousse found himself asking more and more often these past few months. Not that he had ever enjoyed menial work to begin with, but it was becoming ever more disagreeable to him.

It was not like he was going to become any stronger doing this. No, it was a waste of time and energy, time that could be used for more valuable pursuits, like winning over Shampoo or training to defeat Ranma Saotome (not necessarily in that order).

This was a joke, a bad one at that. He was _Mùsī_, a proud warrior of the _N__ǚ__jiézú_. He was from a respected and honored family of good breeding, and he was one of the strongest martial artists of his generation. Why was he acting like a lowly janitor for that old hag Cologne? Well okay, she was the village chieftain, and stronger than him (for now), but that should not mean he had to sacrifice his dignity to show his loyalty. Back home in the village, Cologne would never have dared to treat any member of the tribe this shoddily, the other elders would never have tolerated it. At least that was Mousse's belief, since he could not remember suffering such indignities while living there.

So what were his options then? Go back home? No, short of an emergency he would not return to the village until he claimed Shampoo as his bride. Some would claim that to be an extreme position to take, but Mousse firmly believed in tradition. Let others mock him for it, but his heart had never lied to him when it came to love, and he had no intention of being dishonest to it in return.

There were other factors too. Mousse had grown to like Japan. It was a nice enough country, freer than China at any rate. China was changing though, who could really say if it would be the same in twenty years? What would Cologne's deal with the local authorities mean then? Abroad, Mousse would learn new ideas that would strengthen the_ N__ǚ__jiézú_ for generations to come and secure its survival. He might even become the head male warrior one day, a powerful advisor to the chieftain and a fine capstone to a long and distinguished career…

Or he _could _do those things if he was not sweeping the floors of this damn restaurant! Mousse cursed as he went over one particularly stubborn stain with his mop over and over.

"No swearing!" Cologne said as she bopped him over the head with her stick. "I expect better from you, Mousse."

"No, you expect very little out of me elder. Otherwise you would have me attending to more important tasks than this."

"This _is_ important! Keeping this restaurant clean is critical, for this restaurant is our means of support in Japan until we can bring Shampoo's husband back to the village to take his rightful place among our people. You will do whatever it takes to support us in that mission!"

"As if my goals were the same as yours!" Mousse snarled. "You know full well why I am here in this country, and what I wish to do!"

From across the room, Shampoo could be heard making an angry humph in response to Mousse's remarks. For once however, Cologne chose to respond to the boy's tirade instead of knocking him out.

"You can never have what you desire Mousse, for your heart and eyes are poisoned by pride and bitterness. Many a young warrior before you has been undone by those twin monsters. If you are wise as you claim, you will learn to release them and realize your full potential."

"Your idea of what I should become is very different from mine, elder Cologne. I will no longer lower myself like this." Mousse threw the mop to the floor and began to storm out of the restaurant.

Shampoo, who had been watching the escalating confrontation with great concern, tried to block Mousse from leaving.

"Mousse!" she cried out in Mandarin, "You stupid duck boy! Apologize to my great-grandmother and stop this now. What are you thinking of turning your back on the village elder? Do you want to make your position even worse than it already is?"

"Shampoo, let him leave." Cologne commanded in dangerously cold tone. "Let this fool have some time on the streets to think about what he has done."

She then turned her gaze to Mousse once more. "If I were you young man, I would spend the next few days thinking very carefully about how you will apologize for your actions. Be thankful I am giving you such an opportunity at all."

Mousse's only response was to huff and walk out as fast as he could. Shampoo and Cologne both watched him as he slammed the door behind him with a loud bang.

"What are we going to do Great-grandmother?" Shampoo asked, visibly upset. Yes, Mousse was an idiot, and yes she had no interest in marrying him, but he was still a friend.

"Leave him be for now. Young men have an annoying habit of cutting off their noses to spite themselves. He will return when he realizes that it is he who is in the wrong." Cologne sighed and bounced on her stick to the back of the restaurant.

The old amazon leader had to concede that things were not going very well at all. Not only were her attempts to bring Shampoo and Ranma together constantly thwarted, but now Mousse had become even more restless. He had so much promise as a warrior too, though she would never admit that to his face. He was clever and tenacious and had an understanding of armed combat few in the village could match. But that jealous streak! And his temper! Like gunpowder, he would go up in a flash if things did not go his way. He was likely to end up dead sooner rather than later with an attitude like that.

Cologne had such big plans for him as well. When Ranma would finally be united with Shampoo in marriage, he would need a fellow male amazon to advise him and help him understand the ways of the village. Mousse, having a pre-established bond with the Saotome boy could prove to be that valuable guide, and if the gods were willing, and Ranma became even half the martial artist Cologne predicted he would, Mousse would be his aide when Ranma became head warrior for the _N__ǚ__jiézú_. But as things stood now those dreams were fast crumbling.

"Come Shampoo, let us go to bed. We have much work to attend to tomorrow, and we must wake early."

"Yes Great-grandmother, as you wish." Shampoo turned away from the door and began to follow the old woman to their living quarters. Before she left the dining hall however, she whispered one last thing to Mousse, though of course he was not around to hear it.

"Mousse, you really are a fool, but I do hope you sleep well tonight."

* * *

Dinner time was uneventful at the Tendo house. Not willing to make the same mistake twice, Ranma kept his plans about the tournament carefully concealed from everyone. He acted as if nothing had happened at all. When Kasumi offhandedly asked him about the letter, he simply said that it was a fancy advertisement for a junky cram school on the other side of the ward. Neither she nor anyone else bothered to investigate it further.

Besides wanting to keep schemers like Nabiki out of his hair, Ranma had another good reason not to talk about the tournament. The letter and the small packet of rules that accompanied it explained that in order to compete, Ranma needed to form a team of three martial artists.

A team? Ranma wondered if it had always been that way in the King of Fighters tournament. Ryo never mentioned it, but then again it was not like he had a whole lot of time to sit down and explain that stuff to Ranma during their last encounter.

There were a lot of options for sure. First, there was his dad, who despite being an idiot was a great martial artist in his own right who also represented the Musabetsu Kakutou School. However, could Ranma really trust him? History showed that even in critical situations, Genma often let those around him down. Then again, a victory in the tournament would greatly boost his reputation among other martial artists, and win him a lot of money in the process; that might very well be all the motivation Genma needed to compete seriously. Ranma filed the idea at the back of his mind. If nothing else it could serve as an emergency backup plan.

Next there was Ryoga. Well that was an obvious choice. The Lost Boy had his flaws for sure, but there was no man alive that Ranma trusted more to cover his back in a fight. Would he agree though? Ryoga's temper and pride were delicate things, and Ranma was not quite sure what kind of emotional state his friend was currently in. Ranma had acted extremely cross with him the last time they met, and there was a very good chance that Ryoga still carried a grudge over it. No scratch that, Ranma was absolutely certain that Ryoga was still mad at him. Okay, so he would have to bury the hatchet first, but once that was out of the way, Ranma was sure Ryoga would come around and join his team.

That left only one spot open. Akane? Was she ready for a challenge of this magnitude? Probably not, and that was unfortunate because she was the only other user of Musabetsu Kakutou that Ranma fully trusted. Ucchan? She was a great friend and a skilled martial artist, and therefore a strong choice. Sadly, Ranma would have to pass on her. If he recruited Ucchan, then Akane would be furious, as would Shampoo and Kodachi. In fact, Ranma decided that recruiting any woman on the team would be a bad idea, simply for the amount of friction it would cause in his life.

So who was left after that? Happosai? Ranma would sooner recruit Satan than put the old lecher on his team. Satan would likely be a more reliable ally too. Kuno? Yeah, fat chance. That guy was a weakling by Ranma's standards anyway. No way could he survive the high level of competition that was going to show up at the King of Fighters. He was running out of options though.

Mousse? Huh, now there was an idea. Mousse was arguably Ranma's most competitive rival after Ryoga. He was strong and he took fighting seriously. For an added bonus he and Ranma had teamed up before to fight common enemies… with Ryoga! Yeah, it all made sense now. Ranma needed to form a team with Ryoga and Mousse, that was by and far the best option. Could he get Mousse to join him though? That could prove to be very difficult. Mousse was an annoying prick at times, and he might hold out just to spite Ranma. Plus, the tournament would take him away from Shampoo, whom he was utterly obsessed with. Still, Ranma was resolved to get the male amazon to join him by any means necessary. If Ranma had to hit him over the head and drag him on the plane, then so be it.

The choices were clear, now all Ranma had to do was win them over.

* * *

"Ryoga, you don't have to leave Nerima, at least not on these terms." Ukyo pleaded.

Ryoga Hibiki was standing in full travel gear outside of Ucchan's, ready to head home. "Home" in this case being Akari's pig farm. The decision did not come to him easily, but he had reached the conclusion he had no more business being in Nerima.

As far as he could tell, things were going just fine without him. Ranma, Akane, and Ukyo were busy with school, and Akane in particular seemed to be doing very well as class president. It seemed like the days when she needed Ryoga to defend her honor were at an end, and he was happy for her. Ranma was busy too, throwing himself into academics. Ryoga really did not fully understand what was going on there, but it seemed linked to a visit by that foreign martial artist who had defeated Ranma a few weeks earlier. It really was not his business to know anyway, Ryoga concluded. This part of his life was coming to an end.

He would miss it. For the first time he could remember, Ryoga had felt he had a stable group of friends who accepted him for who he was, relatively speaking. He had a lot of fun memories and some really scary ones as well. How many times had he put his life on the line to help out his friends? How many times had he almost been roasted over a spit while trapped in his pig form? How many times had he nestled in Akane's inviting…?

Okay, time to end that line of thought, there would be more happy days to come, right? Ryoga Hibiki was just starting his life, and there would be plenty of good times in his future… on a pig farm. Why did that not sound as exciting as Ryoga hoped it would? No, Akari loved him, and that was enough. A good woman and a peaceful existence in the countryside… on a pig farm; certainly that's all he could ever need.

"Damn it all!" Ryoga shouted out to no one in particular. Ukyo was rather unnerved by the outburst.

"What's wrong sugar?" She tentatively asked.

"You're right Ukyo, I can't go home yet. There's still one more thing I need to do."

"And what's that?"

"I need to fight Ranma, just one last time. It's not about revenge anymore; I just want to prove to myself once and for all that I can match him. If I don't do it, I'll spend the rest of my life wondering if I could."

"Well, when I said you should stay around, that not really what I meant sugar." Ukyo was cool towards the idea. She loved Ranma, she saw Ryoga as a close friend. The idea of those two coming to blows once more upset her greatly.

"Ukyo, you have to take me to Ranma, I'm asking this as a favor."

"Ryoga, I… I can't do that. I don't want my last memory of you here being locked in some brawl with Ranchan. Can't you just let it go?"

Ryoga eyed Ukyo with some regret. "Sorry Ukyo, this is something I'm dead set on. If you won't help me, I understand. Good luck winning Ranma over, I mean it." With that he adjusted the straps on his backpack and started walking off.

"Should we warn Mr. Ranma?" a voice behind Ukyo asked. It was Konatsu, he had been watching the whole time, using his ninja arts to conceal his presence.

"Konatsu, you really have to stop spying on people," Ukyo said as she walked past him, "and to answer your question, no I'm not. You heard Ryoga; this is something he needs to do for himself. I won't help him, but I won't stop him either. I'm a martial artist too after all, I know where he's coming from. Ranchan wouldn't want me to interfere either."

As Konatsu watched his mistress reenter the shop, he could not help but feel a tremendous sense of dread of what was to come. He quickly shook off the feeling however, as it seemed absurd. How bad could it really be if Ranma and Ryoga had one more fight? They used to do that practically every other day, and then some. Yes, Ukyo was right. Just allow things to follow their natural course. Really, what was the worst that could happen?

* * *

Deep within the heart of Europe, in a remote valley that had scarcely seen human visitation for millennia, a very odd sight could be found. A massive complex, of modern and imposing design, scarred the once pristine landscape. On one of the mighty hilltops that surrounded the valley, two shadowy figures could be seen looking down at the structure.

"Magnificent, is it not?" The first figure exclaimed. His voice was filled with a deep and real appreciation for the center of his ambitious plan.

"Truly, a monument to our impending glory my master." The second figure agreed. It filled his heart with joy to see that the man whom he had devoted his life to was so pleased with the effort. It had not been easy to pull off, having required over a year's worth of careful planning and labor, all while performing his other duties.

"Of course it has yet to fulfill its true purpose, but that will come soon enough." The Master punctuated his statement with low, soft, menacing laughter.

"Yes, only another six weeks, and then our plan will begin in earnest." The second figure agreed.

"Mukai, I expect you to continue to perform as brilliantly as you have in the past. There can be no failure where this is concerned, understand?"

"It will not happen, my master. Unlike Magaki, I am no arrogant fool who misjudges the humans simply because they are different than us. Our accursed enemies they may be, but I know well what they are capable of with the right training and focus."

"Very good Mukai, your understanding of our foes does credit to you."

"Besides that master, with your power behind me, there is no chance that I can fail." Mukai's tone was one of quiet confidence. It was no mere flattery on his part. He knew full well what his master was capable of.

"Yes Mukai, my power, a power beyond any found in this world, the power of the Orochi!" The Master laughed in triumph as he spoke. It had been quite some time now since he had received that power. While it was currently incomplete due to certain unfortunate circumstances, that would soon be corrected. The Orochi, a being that acted as the judge over all life on Earth, was now itself a prisoner of his will! The irony was delicious.

Six more weeks, that was all it would take. Six more weeks, and the grand carnival of violence would return again. The next King of Fighters tournament, it promised to be the greatest one yet… and the last.

End Chapter

_A shorter chapter than many of the others, but it got right to the point. I know many of you are wondering just how this team system is going to work out. I have a plan, but it is way too early to reveal in the story. Let's just say that this KoF tournament will clearly resemble the ones depicted within the games, but it will have a few new rules added to it as well. Why? Because it's about the only way I can think of making a KoF tournament work in print form. Fighting games sadly don't owe themselves to large blocks of prose without some significant adaptation first._

_So now, on to the next item of business. New chapter next week, but after that there will be a slightly longer than average break. Chapter 12 is coming along smoothly, but it's much longer than any of the others I've previously worked on, so I need time to move on ahead after I finish it. You have been forewarned, thank for your patience._

_Until next time, take care! _


	10. A Fine Day for a Stroll in the Park

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all associated licensers. The King of Fighters and it associated series are the property of SNK-Playmore and all associated licensers. This is not a work for profit. I claim no rights to the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Continuity for Ranma is mostly derived from the manga, with some of the anime sprinkled in for good measure. Continuity for the King of Fighters is a modified form of the current story, how that is should be explained in story, but I am willing to explain for those with further questions.

Enjoy!

Chapter 10

"Where the hell am I now?" Ryoga screamed as he wandered through the streets of Nerima.

At least he was still in the ward, but even after half a day's searching, he was no closer to finding Ranma. It was so damn frustrating! He had even tried to ask several pedestrians for help, but Ryoga's horrific sense of direction meant that even when they did point him to the right place, he soon became lost again. At the rate things were going, he would sooner end up in some other city than come across his rival.

"Can you quiet yourself down Ryoga Hibiki? Some people are trying to meditate here."

"Who said that?' Ryoga said as he turned towards the direction he thought he heard the voice coming from, or at least he _tried_ to turn to the right direction.

"Your other left, you twit."

"Why you son of a… Mousse?" Ryoga was caught off guard. Of all the people he would have expected to run into, Mousse would have been on the bottom of his list. What was the Chinese boy doing here anyway? A better question was, where was here?

"You're in the park Hibiki. I assume that is what you are going to ask next."

"The park? I'm really off track now." Ryoga dropped his bag from his shoulders and collapsed to the ground. "Guess I'm nowhere near Furinkan."

"Oh good, you could figure that much out on your own, and here I was worried I would have to explain that to you as well." Mousse said as he wiped his glasses with a cloth.

"You know pal, I do believe you're being even more of an ass than usual, and that's no mean feat. What the hell is your problem anyway?"

"Like I was saying before, I was trying to meditate."

"In the park."

"That is where we are."

Ryoga took a good hard glance at Mousse. Something did not add up here, he just could not put his finger on it. He did notice that Mousse seemed to be rather dirtier looking than normal, and thin in the face.

"You want something to eat? Some water? You look a little off." Ryoga offered.

"I have no need for anything you could offer me Hibiki. I'm quite fine thank you." Mousse grunted and closed his eyes once more, attempting to reenter his trance.

"Well have you seen Ranma?" Ryoga pressed on.

"No Hibiki, I don't know where Ranma Saotome is, and at this moment I could care less."

Now Ryoga knew something was wrong. Mousse saw Ranma as a rival just as much as he did, in both martial arts and love.

"So if Ranma was hitting on Shampoo right at this moment?"

"He would be a dead man Hibiki, but I'm sure you knew that."

"You're in trouble aren't you? Something happened between you and the other amazons." Ryoga knew what it was like to be an outcast. Even if Mousse was a jerk, he deserved some sympathy.

"And what if that were true Hibiki? The business of _N__ǚ__jiézú _is of no concern to outsiders."

"Nice try pal, but I'm not buying it. Do you even have a place to stay?"

"What sort of warrior would I be if I could not fend for myself in the wild?"

Ryoga was about ready to tear his hair out (or Mousse's head off) in frustration. Why did this guy have to be so difficult? Ranma was downright mild-mannered in comparison!

"Listen to yourself you idiot. This is not the wild; you're living in a park by yourself with no means of getting food or shelter. What difference is there between you and some homeless bum on the sidewalk?"

"As you said, I live in a park." Mousse sneered, now feeling very cross. To be lectured by this vagabond, someone who could not even find a bathroom on his own if his life depended on it; Mousse would not allow himself to be demeaned even further.

"You're really asking for it pal." Ryoga said as he slipped into a fighting stance.

"Oh good, I was looking for someone to take out my aggression on. I would have preferred Ranma, but I guess I have to settle for the next best thing." Mousse moved his hands back into his sleeves, grasping his hand claws.

"Prepare yourself!" Ryoga screamed as his took a running start at Mousse. He jumped high into the air, and at the apex of his accent readied his fist for a crushing blow when he came back down to earth. Mousse narrowly dodged the attack, Ryoga's fist smashing into the ground and churning up dirt all around it.

"Pathetic!" Mousse unleashed his claws, trying to catch Ryoga between them. He managed to graze Ryoga's chest, drawing a small amount of blood.

"What's wrong Hibiki? I thought you were supposed to be as tough as iron, but it looks to me as if you are as frail as any other man. Maybe that's why Ranma is always beating you!"

"Why you!" Ryoga channeled his depression into ki and fired off his Shishi Hokodan.

The blast was quite large, and Mousse could not fully evade it, the force knocking him into a nearby tree. He regained his senses quickly, and pulled out some throwing knives, tossing them with deadly aim at his opponent. However, Ryoga proved too agile to be caught by that attack, and rolled to the ground before they hit him.

"It will take more than cold steel to bring me down." Ryoga growled, climbing back to his feet.

"Is that so? Then I'll just have to try something more... _potent_." Mousse again reached into his sleeves, this time producing several bombs. "Yes, let's see if we can't shatter that iron body of yours…"

* * *

It was math class in Ranma and Akane's homeroom. The teacher, Mr. Hayashi, was droning on about trigonometry, and the students were doing their best to follow him. Ranma in particular was furiously scribbling down everything he heard into his notebook. He did not understand much of it, but he figured he would make sense of it later at home. Hiroshi and Daisuke were seated behind him, trying to copy off of their friend's notes. Their comprehension of the topic was even lower than that of Ranma's, but they knew that his work was getting high grades recently, so they figured they might as well steal from someone more competent than them.

"So, if we put the measurement into the calculator and press the cosign button, we then get…" Mr. Hayashi's lecture was abruptly interrupted by a loud boom coming from outside.

"What was that?" Hiroshi screamed as he ran towards the window. Daisuke and other students promptly followed him.

"Students, get back in your seats! Whatever it was, I need order in this classroom!" Hayashi yelled in a futile attempt to settle things down. Another explosion followed his statement.

"It sounds like bombs going off." Observed Sayuri, one of Akane's schoolmates, her tone bored. She knew by now that stuff like this was par for the course at Furinkan High.

"Yeah, but the sound is way off in the distance," said Daisuke, "I think it's happening off school grounds."

"Off school grounds? You think we're being invaded?" asked Hiroshi. He was too young (and handsome!) to die.

"Don't even joke about that man. I wonder where it's coming from though."

"All students get back into their seats!" screamed Hayashi once more, his face florid from the effort. He had not had to raise his voice in many years; it was quite exhausting for him.

"What do you think Ranma?" asked Akane as she turned to his seat, only to realize he was no longer there. "Ranma? Ranma… damn it!"

"Ms. Tendo, no swearing! Everyone else back in their seats!" Hayashi was practically on the verge of an apoplectic fit by this point.

"Geez teacher, chill out man, you look like you're about to keel over." Hiroshi suggested in his always helpful manner.

"AAAAAAH!" Hayashi screamed as he ran out of the homeroom.

"I tell you man, it's the math. It makes you loopy in the head." Hiroshi said as he shook his head.

* * *

Ranma dashed through the streets of Nerima as fast as his legs would take him. He had a pretty good idea of what was going on. He could sense two sizable battle auras clashing with one another somewhere in the ward, exactly who and where he intended to find out. What the hell were these people thinking starting something in the middle of the day… and not even bothering to invite him first? The nerve of some folks!

He soon realized as he homed in on the powerful auras; it was coming from the direction of the park. What was up with that place lately? It seemed as if his life was beginning to revolve around it. No matter though, he would put a stop to this soon enough. Not that Ranma was looking forward to go back to math class, but a man has to do what he has to do.

As he approached closer and closer to his targets, Ranma could hear the explosions getting louder and louder. He also began to notice that there were in fact several distinct sounds being produced by the blasts, meaning that there must be more than one source for them. What that all meant… Ranma had no clue, except that the people who were responsible for all this were dangerous, and strong, much stronger then he had initially given them credit for.

And then he heard it, a familiar threat that Ranma had been on the receiving end of more than a few times himself over the past year.

"Mousse, prepare to die!"

Well now, Ryoga andMousse in the same location? How lucky could Ranma get? Well except for the whole part about them both being in a homicidal rage, but he could work with that. Hey, sometimes you just have to take what life gives you.

He charged fearlessly into the fray, just narrowly dodging one of Mousse's bombs that had come into his path. No sooner had he done that, he had to jump over one of Ryoga's razor-sharp bandanas. After _that_ he had to swerve to avoid one of Mousse's throwing blades. All this and neither of the two other martial artists had yet to realize Ranma's presence in their epic battle. Ranma could hardly wait to find out how they would react when he finally got their attention.

How do you get the attention of two young rampaging martial artists anyway? Ranma quickly deduced simply shouting, "Come on, cut it out you guys!" was not going to work on the likes of Mousse and Ryoga. No, he needed something a little more… attention getting then that. Oh, of course! The Demon's Head technique! Why had he not thought of that in the first place?

"COME ON, CUT IT OUT YOU GUYS!" he yelled though the monstrous ki-projected illusion. What? He should have said something more creative? Well they can't always be winners. Besides, it more than accomplished its task of stopping the other two teenagers cold in their tracks.

"Well good," Ranma began, "Now that I have your attention, we can get somewhere."

"Ranma?" Ryoga choked out after getting over his initial shock.

"Ranma Saotome?" Mousse followed on cue.

"No, it's Santa Claus. I'm just wearing a Ranma costume to throw you both off. Who did you think it was?"

"Well I know it must be Ranma, because only he has that lame sense of humor!" Ryoga said gruffly. Mousse simply shook his head in disgust, whether it was meant for Ranma or Ryoga was not clear.

"What were you guys doing fighting like that anyway?"

"Well," Ryoga began. His thoughts followed a very simple pattern. He had been looking for Ranma. He found Mousse instead. He got into a fight with Mousse because he was looking for Ranma, therefore…

"Ranma, this all your fault!" he screamed as he lunged at his rival. Ranma knew he really should not have been surprised by Ryoga's mercurial temperament after all this time, but he was.

"Come on Ryoga, the Santa Claus joke wasn't that bad!" he said as he dodged a kick aimed at his torso. Ranma really had no intention of fighting with someone he planned to recruit for his team. He needed these guys in top form for the tournament, and beating the crap out of them ran counter to that. He needed a way of neutralizing Ryoga quickly without hurting him.

Why, oh why had Ranma not taken Cologne up on that offer last month to learn how to strike nerve points to render foes immobile without causing permanent injury? Oh yeah, she wanted him to sleep with Shampoo first, silly question. Well then what else was there? Ryoga's Jusenkyo curse? Now that Ranma could exploit… if he had some cold water on him. Or if there was a pond around, which there was not because God had apparently decreed that nothing in Ranma Saotome's life could ever be allowed to go the way he wanted it. It really looked like Ranma had no choice but to do this the hard way and beat Ryoga in a head on confrontation… oh goody.

Just when Ranma was about to leap in and begin his counterattack, and Ryoga was bearing down to crush his rival once and for all, they were interrupted by a large wave of cold water washing over them. The now female Ranma jumped right over the piglet that had been a man and landed in the dirt. They both turned to look at what had hit them and saw Mousse holding a fire hose _coming out of his sleeve_.

"Well good, now it looks as if I have _your_ attention Ranma Saotome."

"How is that even possible?" Ranma cried out, more stunned than angry. Ryoga could only squeak in agreement.

"The same way I've always done it. Any other questions?"

"Well how…"

"That was rhetorical Saotome." Mousse tucked the hose back into his sleeve.

All conflict between them resolved, if only temporarily, the trio sat down to discuss matters. Well they really could not sit, as they were in the middle of a park, and Ryoga as a pig could not sit down like a person would… maybe it would just be best just to move on from that point.

"So Ranma Saotome, why did you seek me out?" asked Mousse. Ryoga angrily squealed as if to say 'I'm here too!' but the Chinese amazon ignored him.

"Well to be honest, I had no idea it was you and Ryoga when I came out here. Though I was looking for you anyway, so it all worked out." Ranma pulled out the invitation letter from pocket, it was a little soggy, but still in decent condition. She handed it over to Mousse.

"And what is this?" Mousse scanned over the letter carefully. A fighting tournament between teams from around the world? Promises of fantastic wealth for the victors? The writer praising Ranma's ability as a martial artist? Mousse sniffed dismissively, if this was a joke, it was in poor taste.

Ryoga continued to squeal, wanting to look at the letter as well.

"Could you turn him back into a human already?" Ranma huffed. "And turn me back into a guy while you're at it, this is really awkward!"

"What makes you think I carry any hot water on me?" Mousse said as he continued to read the letter intently.

"That's rich coming from the guy who just pulled a fire hose out of his coat. Don't joke around with me, you probably have a stove in there as well, so don't tell me you can't give us some hot water."

"Unfortunately for you, I have only a refrigerator."

Smack! Ranma bonked Mousse over the head with her fist. Well she did warn him not to joke around.

"I don't even know why I associate with you people half the time." Mousse said as he poured a cup of hot water with one hand, and rubbed his head with the other.

"And I don't know why I even associate with you any of the time, so there." The now human Ryoga said as he grasped the letter to read for himself. "Huh interesting, the letterhead is in English. From the desk of Rose Bernstein, who's that?"

"You can read English Ryoga?" Ranma, once again male, was interested by this.

"I speak it better than I can read it, but when you get stuck overseas as much as I do, you need to know English to survive, well except in France. _Mi español no es malo tampoco._"

"What?" Asked a very confused Ranma.

"Forget it. So this Bernstein woman, she's invited you to a fighting tournament?" Ryoga said as he read further.

"Yeah, and I need a team to do it. You in?"

"I don't know." Ryoga thought of Akari. "Frankly Ranma, I've been thinking of pulling out of this whole fighting thing."

"Right, that's why you and the walking hardware store over there were tearing up half the park."

"Hey, don't get fresh with me man!" Ryoga could feel the anger boiling up in him again. It was always like this, being taken for granted. He wanted to help, but he had his pride too.

"Besides, why ask me?" he continued. "It's not like you took me with you to Odaiba. I had to ask first if you wanted to train when you fought that American. Now you come to me because you need some extra muscle for you little adventure? What, so you only need me around when it's convenient?"

The sting of Ryoga's remarks made Ranma tense his fists for the briefest of moments. He then relaxed. He probably deserved that remark, even if he hated to be criticized by anyone, especially Ryoga.

"Look, I made a mistake. I'm sorry. I was pressed for time and you weren't around… Nabiki got in on the whole thing and well… I'm sorry."

"Well Saotome, you really must be desperate if you are begging like this." Mousse haughtily proclaimed. Ranma was about to sock him again when Ryoga's fist got there first, sending Mousse into the dirt.

"Don't talk to my teammate like that you punk!" Ryoga closed his eyes and dusted himself off.

"So, that means you'll…" Ranma started as he broke into a big smile.

"Ranma, you apologized, so now we're square. I'll admit I was looking for something to do with my life anyway. So yeah, you can count me in."

"Great! Now we just have to get four-eyes over there to agree and we're set."

"You want Mousse on your team as well?" Ryoga looked over at the fallen amazon. "Seems like a waste to me. There has to be someone better than him."

"I've thought about it, but as hard as it is to believe, he's the only other person I trust with this. Besides, we've teamed up before and done pretty well."

By now, Mousse had regained consciousness and started to get back on his feet. He turned towards Ranma with a stern look on his face.

"I refuse your offer, Ranma Saotome."

"Wait, what? Were you listening to anything I just said? Did you read the letter?"

"Yes I read the letter, and my answer still stands. Find some other person to fill out your team, I'm not interested." Mousse turned around and started to leave.

"Where are you going Mousse?" Ryoga called out to him. "Back to the Nekohanten? Going to grovel to the old lady?"

That stopped Mousse in his tracks. He turned back around to face Ryoga, his expression once again menacing.

Ranma could see that the two were about to fight again and tried to calm the situation down.

"Look Mousse, I have no idea what's going on between you and Ryoga, or what he was talking about, but you at least owe me a good explanation as to why you won't join up, and to my face." Ranma pointed at him as he walked up to the amazon. "I think you're mistaking me for that tree over there."

"I need to spell it out for you Saotome? Fine, I will give you that much. For starters, do you know why I teamed up with you in the past?"

"To help defeat big threats like Herb and Saffron?"

"Correct, but you seem to have drawn the wrong conclusion from those experiences. Every time I joined you in battle, it was either to save Shampoo or defeat the enemies of my tribe. It was an alliance of convenience so to speak. What possible reason could I have to go off with you to some distant land and fight strangers when I could be using that time to convince Shampoo to finally accept my love?"

Ranma was not quite sure how to counter Mousse's words. For once, the idiot had a point that staying in Japan during the time of the tournament would give him an opportunity to try and win over Shampoo, but it still seemed delusional. When had she ever returned his affections in the past?

Ryoga decided to take the initiative. "That's all fine and good, until Cologne figures out where Ranma went and takes Shampoo with her to track him down."

"How would she figure that out Hibiki? Are you going to tell her? I would simply kill you here before you ever had the chance."

"In your dreams Mousse, you know that old lady better than I do. You really think that she won't find out anyway? Granny is pretty sharp, and when she does go after Ranma, you won't be invited along for the trip. You'll be alone, with no assurance that Shampoo won't finally win Ranma over."

"Are you kidding me?" Ranma interjected himself into the standoff. "What makes you think I would let that happen?"

Ryoga grabbed his friend for a moment and whispered harshly in his ear.

"Do you want to blow this? I just started to make a breakthrough!"

"But come on, it's so transparent." Ranma whispered back. "I mean, Mousse can be a blockhead, but do you really think he would fall for this?"

"Take a look for yourself; he's practically shutting down at the thought of losing Shampoo to you!"

Ranma could see that Mousse's glasses had taken on a frosted look, his eyes completely obscured. He was motionless, as if his mind had gone blank and stopped sending any messages to his body.

I can't dismiss what Hibiki said, Mousse thought to himself. Granted the chances of it actually happening are not great, but even so, I cannot allow it! Damn it, he has me! I have to join the team as a hedge against Ranma having any intimate contact with Shampoo!

"Is he okay?" Ranma asked. "It looks like he's having a seizure over there."

"Just wait a moment." Ryoga replied.

"Fine, I will join your team." Mousse finally said as he snapped out of his trance. "I want an equal share of any winnings we get however, and a say over how the team is run. You will not be the boss of me Saotome."

"Like I would ever want you as an employee; still, good to have you aboard partner."

"So what do we do now Ranma?" Ryoga said as he looked over the letter again."It says here that the tournament starts in less than six weeks. If that's the case, we have a lot of work to do."

"Right now, I have to get back to school before Akane and half of the faculty kills me. Let's meet again at the Tendo house tonight to plan things out some more. We should probably inform our friends and family about this as well now that we're a team. News gets around fast in Nerima, so let's do it on our terms. There is one other thing." Ranma pointed at Mousse.

"What?"

"Keep an eye on Ryoga at all times. We can't afford to lose him. I'm counting on you here."

"I told you I will not take orders."

"That's wasn't an order… it's a request from one friend, looking out for the interests of another friend." Ranma smiled. "You can accept that much right?"

"Heh, you are delusional as always Saotome." Mousse's words belied his tone and expression. It was good to know that even in tough times, there were certain people he could rely on, even if they were rivals.

"Hey! I'm not invisible here." Ryoga complained. "I need to tell Akari that I'm doing this!"

"Then I guess Mousse is going to have to travel to the pig farm with you." Ranma laughed.

"What part of 'I won't take orders' do you not understand Saotome?"

"Listen, I don't have time for this. I'll see you guys tonight!" And with that Ranma took off before either of his teammates could get in another word.

"That guy, he's a lot of trouble." Mousse furrowed his brow.

"Yeah, not going to argue with you on that one." Ryoga rubbed the back of his head. "For better or worse though, we're on the same team from this point forward."

"It would appear so. Still, our fight from earlier was never finished…"

"You're still going on about that?"

Mousse unsheathed his claws once more. "Consider it our first training exercise… partner. I promise to keep my eyes on you at all times."

"You're so blind, that's meaningless!" Ryoga laughed as his pulled one of his bandanas out and began to twirl it. "Just don't complain to me when you lose."

* * *

As Ranma ran back to Furinkan, he could feel his new teammates' battle auras flaring once more.

"Well that didn't take them very long. I just hope they're half as fired up for the King of Fighters!"

End Chapter

_Well, that's the last chapter for a while. Three weeks to be precise. I should have a good amount of material stockpiled by then. My postings should become more regular after that… hopefully._

_Now it's time to answer some questions._

_Hiei-Uchiha: To be frank, I originally had no intention of including other teams composed of Ranma characters. Most of those guys would have been way too quirky to include, plus I would have to decide why they would receive invitations, etc. On the other hand, when I was compiling a list of teams, I realized it was hard to come up enough of them to fill in all of the blanks, so I probably will include at least one such team in the final roster. Who they are… I can't give that away. Happosai will not be one of them however. I have something else planned for him._

_I thought Ryu Kumon more or less gave up fighting after his defeat by Ranma? What could he really do without the Yamasenken anyway? I liked him as a rival, but I feel Takahashi concluded his story rather conclusively, so it would be hard to put him into this story. It's a shame really, but there are so many other characters to deal with, I think the loss is marginal at best. _

_Thank you for the comments though, I found them very useful._

_Divine Aurora: I certainly did not forget about the "other" Orochi. I will have to explain that, and I have an idea of how to do it. That will not come up for quite a while though._

_I have to admit I have not read the_ _Ryugenzawa story arc in a good five or six years, so I will have to go over it again for more details. Still, I don't think Ranma becoming part Orochi would work in this story. Ranma's pretty exceptional without adding any sort of crazy new powers to him. He's going to end up being wrapped up in enough craziness as it is when he reaches the tournament, and I don't want his character burdened with an extra layer of angst that is otherwise unnecessary. If you want angst, there are about a dozen other characters who fit that bill. ; )_

_Thank you for your review._

_DrTempo: You got me, the main villain of the story is… like I would give that away now. Sorry, I couldn't resist. : )_

_A more serious answer to your question is that the villains of this story are drawn from existing KoF canon. "Those From His Distant Land" are the most prominent. Who are they? I hope that you'll stay with me and find out!_

_Again, your comments are always welcome. Thank you._

_Okay, now that we have that out of the way, I would like to end things on one final note. King of Fighters XIII was officially announced on Thursday. It will apparently be making its debut in Japanese arcades in the next few months. I have no idea who will be featured in this game or where the story will go, but I will try and incorporate elements of it into my story if time allows. But the overall integrity of the plot of I developed months ago comes first. This is all non-canon anyway, so I'm not going into contortions to try and make everything fit if it means screwing the plot up._

_Until next time, take care!_


	11. The Best Laid Schemes of Ducks and Men

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all associated licensers. The King of Fighters and it associated series are the property of SNK-Playmore and all associated licensers. This is not a work for profit. I claim no rights to the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Continuity for Ranma is mostly derived from the manga, with some of the anime sprinkled in for good measure. Continuity for the King of Fighters is a modified form of the current story, how that is should be explained in story, but I am willing to explain for those with further questions.

Enjoy!

Chapter 11

"You have to be kidding me!" Akane went and reached for an object to smack Ranma over the head with. It was okay, she had been holding back for quite a while now. She could indulge herself a little.

"Hey it's not like I wanted to keep it a secret from you forever! I just needed to work out some things first." Ranma raised his hands defensively. What did it always seem that his conversations with Akane spiraled out of control so quickly?

"Akane, you should really put down that lamp." Kasumi called out to her younger sister. "It was a gift from our Aunt Nojiko."

"Yeah Akane, use the lamp on the other side of room. It has a stainless steel base; it will be much more effective as a club." Nabiki was thoroughly enjoying herself. It had been far too long since the last full-scale flare up between her sister and Ranma.

"Stupid boy, how could you get yourself into this mess? How many times do you have to humiliate yourself before you get it through that thick head of yours that you are still a novice?" Genma grumbled.

Entering a martial arts tournament, after all that had happened recently? His son had already made a laughing stock out of himself once, and Musabetsu Kakutou by extension. As a parent Genma had to at least try to advise Ranma on the error of his ways. Too bad for both father and son that Genma was utterly unsuited for such a task in both intellect and temperament.

"Don't start on me Pops! You should be proud that your own flesh and blood has been invited to this tournament. It's apparently the biggest thing around for fighters!"

"Well then how come I've never been invited to one of these tournaments?" Genma fired back. "In fact I've never even heard about this 'King of Fighters' nonsense until you brought it up just now. It's all baloney! A bunch of showboats prostituting their skills for personal gain; no real martial artist would ever enter it."

"Personal gain? You have the gall to lecture me on that? Like you'd ever use your skills to benefit anything but your fat rump!"

"That's it boy! You have gone too far this time! I'll have to knock some sense back into you!"

"In your dreams!" Ranma said as he prepared to pummel the ever-loving snot out of Genma.

"Ahem." Akane cleared her throat. Both of the Saotome men looked towards her. They immediately noticed that she had taken up Nabiki's suggestion about using the lamp with the steel base.

"No wait Akane, don't do it!" Ranma was sweating profusely. He felt as if his life were flashing before his eyes.

"Yes, listen to the boy for once! Besides, I'm your future father-in-law! You can't strike your parents!"

Both Ranma and Genma began to fall back over the furniture wildly in an attempt to get away. Akane continued to stand there watching the two make complete fools out of themselves. While her face remained frozen in an expression of anger, inside she was laughing. This was a lot more fun than just beating them up, Akane just wished she had thought of this a long time ago, it would have saved a bundle in home repair bills.

"Can we please have some order here?" Soun cried out, almost on the verge of tears.

Ryoga and Mousse stood by impassively while this was all going on. When Ranma said that there was going to be a family meeting, they had already figured it going to be a bust. The best thing they could do was just stay out of it as much as possible and let their friend take the heat.

"How much longer do you think they'll fall for this?" whispered Ryoga, amused by Akane's bluff.

"Hard to say, the stupidity of a Saotome can never be underestimated." Mousse answered back.

"Are you two really planning on doing this?" Nabiki said as she slipped herself in between the two young men.

It seemed crazy to Nabiki. How could Ranma get himself involved with professional fighters again after what happened last time? Even more insane was the thought of people willingly following him into another such pummeling. Then again, Nabiki had never thought that highly of Ryoga or Mousse. As far as she was concerned, they were muscle-bound losers, who could barely survive on a daily basis, let alone plan for the future. Getting conned by Ranma was not so odd after all for those two.

"It's not something you would ever understand Nabiki." Ryoga replied, well aware of who he was dealing with. "You have no honor or warrior's pride."

"For once I can agree with Hibiki on something." Mousse adjusted his glasses as if to make himself look more intimidating to the Tendo girl. Nabiki was less than impressed.

"Well you two just keep on thinking that, right up until you both get knocked out by some guy Ranma picks a fight with. Unless, of course you have someone who could manage him…"

Ryoga cut her off. "Don't even start Nabiki; we're both wise to your game."

"Well fine, but don't say I never warned you." Nabiki huffed as she turned away. She would just have to try again later with Ranma. He was gullible enough, she was certain of it, and if all else failed, there was another option…

Meanwhile, Ranma and Genma had _still_ not figured out that Akane had no intention of attacking them. Genma was about ready to soil his gi, while Ranma had been reduced to a pile of blubbering incoherence. Actually, If was getting rather boring for Akane; it was so unbalanced as to be unfair. She decided to end it all by walking up to Ranma.

"Please Akane! I… I can… can explain everything!"

Akane took one slow step after another. The room became very silent, and the intensity of the moment was so thick you could cut it with the proverbial knife. She finally reached her target and raised the lamp above her head with one arm. Ranma closed his eyes and hoped it would be over with quickly, and that he would heal in time for the tournament.

Flick. Akane's finger hit Ranma squarely between the eyebrows. Out of sheer shock Ranma fell back, his body cringing.

Akane huffed. "I swear, you never give me enough credit Ranma. This is why you should have been honest with me from the beginning!" She put the lamp down and walked back to her spot on the couch.

Nabiki was visibly disappointed. She had at least hoped to see some blood.

"Maybe we should wait until Auntie Nodoka arrives." Kasumi suggested. "She seems to be good at keeping discussions under control."

"I think you are right about that my daughter." Soun agreed. "I wonder what is taking her so long." He turned to Genma, still prone on the floor. "Saotome, when did you say your wife would be over?"

"I… never called her." Genma admitted. This was man talk after all, and there were other issues to consider as well.

Genma had been growing rather jealous of his wife's growing influence over their son recently. After all, she must have been the one who pushed Ranma to become more interested in studying at school. She was going to turn him into a woman far more thoroughly than any Jusenkyo curse ever could, even if she did not mean to, and Genma had to put a stop to it.

"You never called Auntie?" Kasumi suddenly gained a rather cold tone to her voice. Genma began to sweat rather profusely.

"If it's not one it's the other, eh Hibiki?" Mousse observed.

"I'll agree with you on that." Stuff like this made Ryoga glad his day-to-day involvement with the Tendo household was significantly less than it used to be, even if he still had a soft spot for Akane.

"Uh, what happened?" Ranma said as he regained his senses.

Oh yeah, Ryoga was definitely glad he had stopped hanging around this place…

* * *

Once Nodoka did arrive, things calmed down considerably. Ranma was able to explain things in an orderly manner without being interrupted. Things were going so well, that Mousse and Ryoga stepped outside the house, feeling that their presence was unnecessary at this time.

"I tell you, Ranma's mom is one tough customer. Even though she doesn't know anything about the martial arts, I bet she can keep just about anyone in line." Ryoga observed.

"Yes, I somewhat envy Saotome in that respect." Mousse affirmed.

Ryoga was suddenly overwhelmed by curiosity by that remark. "Hey, you never talk about your family. What are they like?"

"What business is it of yours Ryoga Hibiki? Do you think I need to spill all of my secrets to you?"

"It's not like that at all!" Ryoga snapped back defensively. "It's just that we're teammates now. I figured what was the harm of knowing?"

Mousse expression turned very dark, his eyes filled with emotion. "What if I told you my family was all dead? That I never knew them?"

"I'm sorry there pal," Ryoga timidly answered back, suddenly filled with remorse. "I never would have guessed."

"That's because… I'm lying." Mousse suddenly broke into a cruel smile. He began to laugh, partly at Ryoga's gullibility, but also because he was amused by his own prank. Nabiki Tendo was not the only person in Nerima who could pull off a convincing lie.

"What! You dirty bastard!" Ryoga raised his fists, as if he was prepared to strike. The nerve of this guy, playing him like that! Why the hell did Ranma even want someone like this to be their comrade?

"I am just playing with you Hibiki. You need to stop taking these things so literally, it clouds your mind. It's not at all fitting for a warrior."

"My definition of a warrior is clearly a lot different than yours."

"It is Hibiki." Mousse began to stare up at the night sky. "In my village we are trained to kill our enemy if necessary. You and Saotome are just playing children's games by comparison."

"If that's the case, then why haven't you beaten Ranma yet? Even a "child" like me has managed that a few times." Ryoga gloated as he gained the upper hand over the amazon. Served him right for being so damn smug!

"Don't think it will stay that way for long Hibiki." Mousse's face contorted into an ugly snarl. "I've been training relentlessly to defeat Saotome, developing many new techniques and testing new weapons, and one day soon, I will conquer him once and for all. You can see for yourself at the tournament. My opponents will become my guinea pigs, Ranma can see for himself what lies in store for him."

"And I thought I could be bitter." Ryoga said as he rubbed the back of his head absentmindedly. Is that what he sounded like when he used to obsess over beating up Ranma about stuff like lunch bread or being forcibly engaged to Akane? Ryoga could only think of how pitiful Mousse was. It was a lesson to the Lost Boy not to relapse into his old habits as well.

Ryoga was taken out of his thoughts as Mousse continued. "Even if we can somehow survive each other's company these next six weeks, there are other obstacles as well."

"Yeah, I agree. I was thinking you and Ranma don't know how to speak English, right? You have to learn at least a little bit of it if you plan on travelling out of Japan. There are other things as well, like finding living quarters and food. I wonder if Ranma has even thought of that yet."

"Learning a new language will not be very hard for me Hibiki." Mousse removed a booklet from his robes entitled 'English for Beginners'. "Remember, I learned your language in only a month's time. I can't imagine the language of those idiotic Americans being any more difficult."

Ryoga shook his head. "You may be right that you don't need any help, but I'll give you a piece of advice anyway. Whatever you think of their language, don't underestimate Americans. Remember the guy who beat Ranma was from there. Oh yeah, _they didn't invent English either._"

"I will keep that in mind." Mousse's tone however suggested he cared little either way. "Now, the only issue that really matters to me currently is how I am going to inform elder Cologne that I am not coming back to the Nekohanten for the foreseeable future."

"That's right," Ryoga said as he snapped his fingers, "So how do you plan on handling that?"

"No idea, I just want to get it over with. If that old bag wants to exile me from the tribe, there is very little I can do about it at this point. Still, short of her killing me on the spot, I can always find a way around any other punishment she can throw at me." Mousse did not make it very clear whether or not he thought that Cologne would actually kill him, but Ryoga felt uneasy that his companion could state something like that so plainly. It bordered on the macabre.

Mousse continued on without any outward change in his emotions. "At any rate, we should do it in the morning. A good night's rest always clears the head out."

"I agree… WAIT, what did you me by _we_?"

"Do you not remember what Saotome said to me this afternoon, Ryoga Hibiki? That I cannot allow you out of my sight? Or is your memory now as bad as your sense of direction?" Mousse's smirk deepened.

"Damn it, I really have to get back at Ranma for this one." Ryoga let out a deep breath. Mousse had not been kidding when he talked about surviving each other's company. At least Ryoga would be sleeping with a roof over his head for once. That would be a nice change.

* * *

"So students, in the run up to the Meiji Restoration, there was a political event that enraged the opinion of the Imperialist faction. Almost a hundred high-ranking officials were arrested and eight were executed. Does anyone know what that was? Anyone? How about you Mr. Satou?"

Satou, a beefy looking jock, struggled to find an answer. "Uh, well teacher, was it a riot?"

Mr. Midorikawa, the 11th grade History teacher at Furinkan high grimaced at his student's error. Honestly, did these kids even bother to read the assigned pages in the textbook last night?

"No Mr. Satou, it was not a riot. Would anyone else like to take a guess?" Silence, not all that surprising really. It looked like Midorikawa would have to choose another "volunteer" to take a guess. He scanned the room, and his eyes set upon one student who seemed to be lost in his own thoughts.

"Mr. Saotome, if I'm not interrupting you, could you answer my question."

Ranma came out of his daze, his mind still swimming with ideas on how he was going to plan his trip to the tournament. It took him a second to focus on his teacher's request.

"Yes, you were talking about the political repression leading up to the Meiji Restoration?"

"Yes Mr. Saotome, good to see you were following that much." Several girls in the class giggled from that remark.

Ranma collected his thoughts and gave off an answer. "That would be the Ansei Purge. It went on for two years before Naosuke Ii was assassinated at the Sakuradamon Gate outside of Edo."

The boy smiled as he finished. It was amazing he could still remember that after everything else that had happened last night. Really, schoolwork was a breeze when you actually paid attention to it. Why had he been sweating this stuff before?

Midorikawa had to break into a smile at how well Ranma had answered the question. He looked like some kind of delinquent, but clearly a keen mind lay beneath that unpolished exterior.

"Wonderful job Mr. Saotome, it's good to know that at least some of you here are taking advantage of your free education." Many students shuffled uncomfortably at their teacher's rebuke.

"Not bad Ranma." Hiroshi whispered to Ranma from behind him. "Of course, I could have gotten that without even having to think about it."

"You big fat liar." Daisuke challenged back. "I bet you don't even know who the heck Naosuke Ii was."

"Oh yeah? 500 yen says I do."

"You two!" Midorikawa pointed his finger at the pair. "Get out of the room and stop harassing the students who actually study things."

"Oh man." Hiroshi whimpered. "I never get a break. Ranma, help me!"

Ranma pressed a hand to his head. Hiroshi and Daisuke were good enough guys, but it was times like these that made him wonder why he hung around them in the first place. Couldn't they just get their act together already?

It was at this point that Ranma realized something. For the first time in recent memory, his life was pretty good. Not anywhere near perfect mind you. He would love to be free of his curse and marital engagements, and not have so many people roaming around for his blood all the time, but still… he could manage this.

Which brought up a dilemma he had not previously thought of; was he risking too much by entering the tournament? He had managed to build a fragile equilibrium into his life, and now he was going to risk it all by leaving Japan for a while and putting himself before the whole world in a competition filled with elite martial artists, many of whom presumably possessed the skills to beat him in an honest fight, at least if Ryo had been a sample of who was out there. The only way he could be ready to tangle with them in six weeks time was to utterly commit to training and expanding his techniques. That would put a huge burden on other aspects of his life. Sure, maybe he could balance his studying of both schoolwork and martial arts, but his social connections, such as they were, would suffer. He could focus on keeping the people in his life appeased while improving his fighting skills, but his grades might start to slip, and he had made a solemn oath not to let that happen. What to do?

There were really only two people he could ask for help on this stuff: Akane and Ucchan. Akane because Ranma generally trusted her judgment (outside of the kitchen of course), and Ucchan was his oldest friend, the one who might really "get" his dilemma.

Ranma turned his head slightly to the side to catch a glimpse at Akane. Throughout the whole scene in class, she had remained disturbingly silent. She must still be angry at him, that much was clear, but Ranma had no clear idea of how to mend fences with her. He had tried to do so after the meeting with his mother, but Akane had locked herself up in her room and did not come out until the morning. She had even gone though the trouble to not walk to school with him. As much as Ranma wanted to reach out to her, he was not sure when or if she would respond.

He had no choice then. He needed to talk to someone, so Ucchan it would be. Maybe he could sneak off during lunch to her restaurant and get some privacy… that sounded a whole lot dirtier than Ranma would have liked. He just prayed Akane did not get wind of his plans.

Maybe life was not as settled as Ranma had assumed.

* * *

"That is all you have to say?" The old woman stared down Mousse with the intensity of a lioness eyeing her prey; very impressive considering she was so much shorter than him.

"What more would you have me say Elder? I do not know how to make things clearer." That reply earned Mousse a quick blow to the head from Cologne's stick.

"Are you really abandoning our tribe Mousse?" Shampoo asked, doing as much as possible to control her voice and seem impartial to the news.

"Shampoo, my dear, I would never willingly abandon the tribe. I have simply made a decision, and now I await the Elder's approval. Whether she can understand what I am doing is another thing entirely." That earned Mousse another blow from Cologne.

Ryoga was following the conversation along as best as he could. It was not easy, since Chinese was never his best language, but he got the gist of it. Mousse was acting as insufferable as ever, even in a situation where his place in Amazon society was in the balance. Maybe he had taken one too many blows to the head over the years and lost his senses, that was the only rational explanation the other boy could think of. Either that or he had a really cunning plan he was about to put into motion.

"Stupid boy! You dare speak of me as if I am a senile fool." Cologne then whapped Mousse on the head with her stick again to reinforce her point. "I understand the situation just fine. You are a fool who does not know his place. I tried to be generous with you, to give you the time to grow and mature, but if this is how it will be I must take firmer action."

Ryoga eyes began to twitch as he grew ever more nervous about how the conversation was developing. He did not want to explain to Ranma that their presumptive teammate had been vaporized by a giant ki blast when the Amazon elder lost her temper. That was assuming Cologne let Ryoga leave at all, instead of disposing of him as an accomplice of the disgraced Mousse.

They really should have gone to the pig farm first. At least Ryoga could have said his last farewells to Akari.

Mousse remained unfazed by the danger he now confronted. What? Did everyone really believe he had come into this situation without a plan? Who did they think he was? Ranma? Perish the thought!

"Perhaps you misunderstand me elder? What I have done was not intended to offend you, for the actions I have undertaken were not for my own personal gain, but for the welfare of our tribe."

For once in her very long life, Cologne was caught off guard. What was this boy babbling about? She quickly turned her head towards Shampoo. Perhaps the child knew what Mousse was thinking? No, Shampoo's face betrayed her utter confusion.

"Explain yourself Mousse." The elder fired back at the boy. "And make it quick… for your sake."

"It's quite simple elder. I am fully aware of your wishes regarding Ranma Saotome joining our tribe. You believe his skills would be a boon for Amazon society, and I agree fully."

"But I also wish for him to marry Shampoo, and we both know well that this is incompatible with your own desires boy." Cologne struck her chin thoughtfully. Mousse was clearly angling for some sort of negotiation here, but for what exactly? Did he really think he could offer anything of value to her? Still, he was using his head for once, and the Amazon matriarch found that encouraging. She would allow him to make his case.

"Maybe you are right Elder, and Ranma will marry Shampoo. Maybe he won't, but one thing is clear, one of the reasons he is so reluctant to take up your generous offer is because he does not understand our society. He thinks that because our tribe defers to the leadership of women, that men are therefore second-class, and not given the full rights of warriors.

"Of course, we all know that is a misconception, and that men serve alongside women as equals in all areas of village life. I think that if Ranma was aware of that, much of his resistance to joining us would disappear."

Shampoo was starting to grow very angry with Mousse as he continued his explanation. Was he implying (if only indirectly) that her behavior had somehow convinced her beloved Ranma that Amazon society was misandrist? That there was a way for Ranma to join Amazon society without him having to marry her? It was absurd! Her great-grandmother would never take such ridiculous ideas seriously, would she?

Mousse continued on. "Now we have a great opportunity before us Elder. Ranma personally asked me to join his team. Does that not mean by extension that he wants the aid of Amazon society as a whole? For what am I if not a clear product of Amazon society?"

"Your word play is starting to annoy me boy." Cologne grumbled. "If you think that you are being clever, then you are dead wrong. Cut to the point or shut your mouth."

"Of course Elder, I was just going to do that." Mousse adjusted his glasses. "My argument is this: Ranma has accepted me as a comrade, and by extension he is now closer to joining our village than at any point previously. He needs our strength to win this tournament. He will be voluntarily separated from Akane Tendo for a long period. His mind will be open to… suggestions during the whole time. This is the critical moment."

Shampoo could not contain herself any longer. "Stupid duck boy! I know you want to marry me! Are you going to seriously suggest that you would encourage Ranma to choose me over you? You are an awful liar Mousse, and you should be ashamed of yourself!"

Mousse seemed unfazed by her accusations.

"Shampoo, I merely state that with my help, Ranma has a very good chance of accepting to join our village before this is all over. As I said earlier, he may marry you, he may not, and I would be a fool to make a promise like that. But what do we have to lose by trying? More direct schemes have failed. We can sort out the finer details later, but for now let us take what has been given to us!"

Mousse was very careful crouch his statements in terms such as _we_ and _us_, for he knew that would appeal greatly to Cologne's sensibilities. At the end of the day, she always put the welfare of the village above any individual, even Shampoo's. It was a calculated risk on his part that the elder would accept the idea of Ranma coming to the village on terms other than that of marriage, but Mousse had a feeling she would agree to them; particularly if he did not leave out the possibility that Ranma could get married later. It was all just ambiguous enough to work.

Cologne closed her eyes for a few moments as she thought things over. This was a scam, certainly, but a well thought out one. Cologne was a trickster herself, and she could appreciate the effort that Mousse had put into this, and many of his points were not without merit. She could work with this, provided she made _her own_ adjustments to the scheme; not that she would ever inform Mousse of her plans.

"Well then boy, I can see you are quite eager to help our tribe. I misjudged you Mousse. You have shown both wisdom and cunning on this matter. I approve of your plan."

Mousse could barely hold back his smile; his gambit had worked out beautifully. Ryoga practically collapsed to the floor, the tension draining out of his body. He could not believe what a close call that had been. Cologne could have just as easily rejected the offer outright and thrashed both of them for their insolence.

Shampoo however felt a very different reaction.

"Great-grandmother, how can you do this? You know this fool is trying to deceive us! He has no desire to help my Airen! Please Great-grandmother, don't let him…"

"Shampoo! Know your place child. You may be my blood, but I am still your elder, and my decision on this is final."

The younger amazon woman was forced to hold her tongue, but her displeasure was still palpable. Never in her life had she been so angry with Mousse, and that was saying quite a lot.

"If you will excuse us Elder, we must take our leave." Mousse said as he took a deep bow to Cologne. "My colleague and I must take our leave and train with Ranma. I will be sure to keep you informed of any important developments."

Soon after Mousse had left the Nekohanten, Shampoo confronted Cologne again.

"He is a liar Great-grandmother! I never thought I would say this, but I truly despise Mousse. Are you really going to let him get away with this? Despoiling the honor of our people with such transparent tricks?"

"Child, you really do not understand anything yet, least of all subtlety." Cologne chided. "I was fully aware of that boy's intentions, but I found it useful to play off of them to further our own goals. If you wish to ever become a leader amongst your people, you must learn to play this subtle game, no matter how distasteful you find it, and believe me when I say I did not enjoy that."

"So what will we do then?" Shampoo said, now feeling slightly better about the arrangement. "We can't very well allow Duck Boy to do as he pleases. What if he tries to bring harm upon my Airen?"

"The first thing we do is find out more about this tournament my child, and what it entails. I worry my son-in-law has gotten himself in over his head yet again. Secondly, we must make plans to travel to the site where the competition will take place… without Mousse knowing any of this."

"Yes Great-grandmother, I will assist you in any way I can." A wicked smile began to form on Shampoo's lips. She would show that fool Mousse a thing or two before this was all over! As for her beloved Ranma, the time was fast approaching for him to be joined with her in matrimony once and for all. On her honor as an Amazon warrior, Shampoo would make it so!

* * *

"What the hell were you thinking back there! Were you trying to get us both killed?" Now that he was clear of the imposing presence of Elder Cologne, Ryoga was free to make his feelings known to Mousse.

"If it bothered you so much Hibiki, then you should have acted on your reservations. You know, 'Speak out now, or forever hold your peace' or something like that."

"We're not talking about a wedding here you asshole!" Ryoga sighed. "Besides, you do realize the old granny saw right though your scheme? There's no way in hell she believed anything you said. I don't know what you think you accomplished by lying to her."

"Of course she knew I was lying, at least partly. I had anticipated that. In fact I was relying on it."

"Wait, what?" Ryoga was even more confused now then he had been back at the restaurant.

"Hibiki, you simply don't get it. I presented an idea to Cologne, one that was completely feasible in theory. Of course she knew that I would never actually do it for her, so now she will take it upon herself to complete it. That old hag loves this sort of intrigue, and the prize of getting Ranma was simply too much for her to resist."

Ryoga could only shake his head. "I hate this stuff. Just trying to make sense of it makes my head hurt." He adjusted the straps on his backpack as they continued their walk, his shoulders were killing him.

"It's not any of your business anyway Hibiki, and don't bother telling Ranma about it either. Even if he knew, it would make no difference. You can count on him to be reliably obstinate no matter what."

"So said the pot of the kettle." Ryoga mumbled under his breath.

"What was that Hibiki?"

"Nothing, I just want to be done with this crap already."

Yes, everything was going perfectly, Mousse thought. The elder thought she could turn things to her advantage, but it would fail miserably. She was incapable of planning things that far out ahead; Mousse had seen it himself several times already, and her inability to accept that flaw would undo her schemes every time. He had figured out her weakness, and now it was he who would come out on top. The tournament would be the first step, and at the end of the road, glory and Shampoo's hand in marriage would be his. Yes, there was no stopping it now…

Mousse was abruptly taken out of his thoughts as he slammed into a lamppost. He was so caught up in his thoughts he never saw it coming. It did not help that he had removed his glasses earlier as well.

"Why did Ranma ever want you on our team in the first place?" Ryoga said as his voice filled with distain. He still ended up helped Mousse up though. Who else was going to lead him back home?

* * *

"Welcome customer!" Konatsu bowed deeply as another person entered the shop. "We hope you enjoy our menu."

"Sound pretty tempting there Konatsu, but that's not why I'm here today."

The ninja raised his head at the sound of that familiar voice.

"Oh, it is you Mr. Ranma. Looking for the Mistress?"

"Yeah, if Ukyo is in I'd like to talk to her." Ranma was always a little freaked out by Konatsu. It was not because he was a cross dresser, he had gotten used to that a while back. It was more how unbendingly cheery and polite the ninja was. Ranma knew that the guy had a crush on Ukyo, and yet he treated Ranma fairly well regardless. One could not help but feel a little suspicious of that, knowing the general pattern of Ranma's life.

Konatsu nodded his head slightly as he replied. "She should be in at any moment Mr. Ranma. You know the Mistress likes to check up on the business at this time, when she is not presenting a gift to you that is." Ranma was almost certain he could hear a little bit a little bit of jealousy in those words.

Yes, there was much to be suspicious about when dealing with Konatsu.

"Can I take a seat somewhere?"

"Oh yes, anywhere is fine. Would you like me to get you something Mr. Ranma?"

"No, believe or not I don't really have much of an appetite today." Ranma patted his belly. In truth he was quite hungry, but when it came to his fiancées and food, sometimes he had to exhibit a little bit of discretion. Akane was already angry enough as it was.

"So Mr. Ranma how is school?" asked Konatsu as the other boy took his seat.

"Fine I guess."

"Are you any closer to making a decision about who you will marry?"

Ranma nearly fell out of his chair with that one. "Don't you think that's a little too personal a question?"

"Was it?" Konatsu's response was so ambiguous it was hard for Ranma to figure out if he was serious or not.

"So, uh business is good?" said the pigtailed boy as he tried his own attempt at small talk.

"Do you not think that is a little too personal a question?"

This was just getting stupid already. Ranma decided this passive-aggressive stuff was far worse than just being straight out attacked by his other rivals. Then something else occurred to him. Konatsu's behavior was different in some way.

"I just realized something, why aren't you describing everything you do anymore? I mean when I first met you couldn't take a note without making it sound like some sort of special ninja technique."

"Well actually…" Konatsu seemed very eager to explain that story when Ukyo chose at that moment to come through the door. Ranma quietly cursed. It seemed like he never got to find out any of those nagging mysteries that went on in his life. Like how did Ryoga wear all those bandanas on his head? How did his dad store all those signs on him when he was a panda? _And where did Dr. Tofu disappear to?_ He was there one day, and the next thing you know his clinic was closed and…

"Oh, Ranchan!" Ukyo blurted out, clearly not expecting her friend to be waiting for her. She absentmindedly adjusted her hair, and patted down her clothes. If she had known Ranma was coming, she would have dressed far more femininely.

"Hey Ucchan, been a while." Ranma said a little glumly. He had to admit, he had not been all that good a friend to her lately. He had barely even acknowledged her at school with everything else going on in his life. It was no excuse though; he just hoped she did not carry a grudge over it.

"Why so sad Ranchan? Is there something you want to talk about?" Did he and Akane have a falling out again? Ukyo really did not want to hear him talk about the other girl. She liked Akane, but still, at the end of the day she was still a rival.

"Yeah, and it's sort of important, do you have a few minutes to spare?"

"Konatsu, serve any customers who come in. I'll be down to help you as so as I can."

"If you command, I shall do." The ninja bowed formally to his employer. Ukyo shrugged it off; she had long ago gotten use to Konatsu's excessive reverence for her. She motioned for Ranma to follow her to the back of the shop.

Ranma and Ukyo climbed the stairs to her small apartment above the shop. She pushed the key into the front door and unlocked it. She walked in and beckoned for Ranma to follow her. He was noticeably nervous and hesitated in doing so.

"What's the matter Ranchan? You said you wanted privacy."

"I didn't say that! I said I needed to talk to you for a few minutes alone."

"Now you're just parsing words." The chef pouted. "What do you think I'm going to do? Lock the door behind us and take advantage of you?"

Ranma scratched his head. "Do you really want me to answer that?"

"Jackass. Sometimes you really are impossible Ranchan. Fine I'll keep the door open the whole time if it makes you feel better."

"I appreciate that." With his friend's assurance, Ranma walked into the room. It was sparsely furnished and had a very plain but practical feel to it, very much in line with Ukyo's philosophy towards business and life.

"I have to say Ranchan; you've haven't been yourself lately, and I don't like it." Ukyo said as she took a seat on a chair in the corner. "You haven't talked to me much, and I hated how you sulked after losing that fight, among other things."

Ranma laughed a bit as he took his own seat. He could always count on Ukyo being dead honest with him.

"Yeah, I'm sorry Ucchan. Seems like I've been saying that a lot lately, but it's just that so much stuff has happened in my life, I really didn't know how to cope with it."

Ukyo smiled at that statement. "Oh Ranchan, I could never stay angry at you. Plus, I have to say that you seem different from the last time I spoke to you."

"You think so?" Strange that Ucchan would say that, Ranma thought. He certainly did not feel any different, inside or out.

"Oh yeah, you have a more mature look to you. It's hard to put into words, but I'm really impressed by it."

"Are you sure you're not just trying to butter me up?"

"You jackass! Take a compliment for what it's worth!" She fumed a bit. Why did Ranma always make things so difficult?

"You're right Ucchan, I'm sorry… again."

"What did you really come all the way over here to talk about Ranchan? Is this about Ryoga, because I told that jackass to let it go and…"

"It's not like that at all. In fact, Ryoga and I just buried the hatchet the other day. Well, for a little while at least."

"No lie? That's impressive Ranchan. Like I said, you are becoming more mature. How did you do it?"

"That's the reason I'm here Ucchan. I want you to hear from me in person." Ukyo noticed Ranma removing something from his pocket. On closer inspection, it appeared to be a letter of some sort. "Take a look at this." He said as he walked over and handed her the paper.

Ukyo scanned over the letter. "A fighting tournament? The King of Fighters, I think I've heard of this one too. They use to show it on TV back when I lived in Osaka. Kyo Kusanagi, the guy who won the tournament for Japan was a native of our town."

"Right, and if you remember, I challenged him a few weeks ago in Odaiba. That's how I ended up fighting Ryo."

"The American who beat you up?" Ukyo interjected with a sly grin.

"_Yes_, the guy who beat me. He won't next time though, you can count on it."

"I'm just teasing you Ranchan. So you get mixed up with a former champion from this tournament, and now you're invited to it."

"And I had to form a team to do so. I convinced Ryoga to join me, Mousse too."

"Mousse? You sure about that choice Ranchan? That guy, he's, how do I put it? Well he's a bit of a bastard."

"I know, but he was the best choice I could think of."

Ukyo's eyebrow twitched from that snub. "Did you even consider me for a second?" She wished she had her giant spatula on her. Pity she left it back down in the shop.

Ranma waved his hands frantically. "Hey Ucchan, it's not like that at all. I did consider you. It's just, how would the other girls feel?"

"Am I always supposed to care about their feelings too? Sorry Ranchan, but you know where I stand on that."

"That's exactly what's been bothering me in the first place." Ranma sighed, despair starting to creep over him.

Ukyo's romantic jealousy was overridden by concern for her friend. "Look, Ranchan, I didn't mean to upset you…"

"It's not like that. It's just… for a while now I've felt stuck in a rut. You know I'd meet new people, go to new places, and learn new things, but from the day I set foot in Nerima, the rhythm of my life was frozen in place. I couldn't break out of it, no matter how hard I'd try."

"Ranchan…" Ukyo had no idea what to say. She thought she knew Ranma just about better than anybody, and yet here he was, spilling his guts out to her about stuff she never dreamed had been troubling him.

"I couldn't cure my Jusenkyo curse. I couldn't shake off any of the enemies I made. If I made one new friend, it was certain to piss off an old friend, and I always got the blame for what went down… _always_.

"I figured I could justify it. This was all part of being a man I said, keeping your honor intact. So my dad screwed me over again, what else was new. I put my foot in my mouth, what else was new. But after the whole wedding thing went down I could barely stand it anymore. I could see where my life was going to take me, every last step Ucchan, and I was scared out of my mind.

"Even now, I'm trying like crazy to improve myself, but I can't seem to find any balance. Want to be a good student? Well, can you do that and still be a martial artist? Not the way everyone around me acts. And my friends? If I'm not trying to stop them from killing me, then I'm stopping them from killing each other, which makes them want to kill me all over again."

"Maybe I should get you something to eat Ranchan. " Ukyo said nervously, she could see how agitated he was, and it unsettled her greatly. "I think you'll feel a whole lot more settled with a full stomach."

"No I'm fine." Ranma pulled his emotions back into himself. He could see that he was worrying Ukyo, and it was wrong of him to put her in that position. "I'm just saying, I think this tournament is what I need to move forward. When I fought Ryo, I learned that there was a huge world out there filled with guys who are all striving to be the best at martial arts just like me. If I'm ever going to make something of myself, I have to compete with them directly, show them I can beat them on their own terms. I just want to hear from someone else that _I'm doing the right thing for once in my life_."

"Ranchan… I believe in you." Ukyo screwed up her conviction. "I doubted you once too, but that was a horrible mistake! It's not just me either. A lot of people around here rely on you, even if they won't admit it. If you feel that this is something you need to do, then go for it! But please, don't ever fall into self-pity like that ever again, or I may have to beat the crap out of you." Was that enough? Would he accept that?

Ranma rose from his seat and walked over to her. Gently, he put his hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks Ucchan." He said as he broke out into a great big smile. "A little bit of support… that was all I needed. I knew you'd understand, and you were so spirited about."

"Don't mention it." Ukyo had to try hard to restrain her blush, it failed.

"You know, you're a lot more feminine when get all rosy-cheeked like that." Ranma laughed.

"You ass! Do you always have to ruin the moment?" Ukyo rubbed her face absentmindedly. She wanted to sound angrier, but found she could not. Well, she did love the idiot, warts and all.

"I think we better get back to Furinkan. I have Math next and I don't want to be late for that."

"Why are you now so interested in that stuff Ranchan?" That had been bothering Ukyo for a few weeks now. Before that, you had to practically tie Ranma down to do schoolwork.

"Simple, I found out that it's all part of being a man too!" he beamed.

End Chapter

_This was a tough chapter to write at first. I pride myself on having a plan before I write something out, but this one was pretty much done on the fly. It required a lot more editing than usual as a result, but in the end it came out pretty well. I just hope Mousse's scheme ends up making sense to other readers. It is extremely convoluted to say the least._

_So what's the current status of the fic? Well Chapter 12 is done, and it is huge. Nearly three times the size of this last chapter, and very important to the plot to boot. It will be posted in two weeks. I know the updates are getting slightly less frequent, but I have to pace myself. I was sick this past week, and that cut down on my writing quite a bit. Still, Chapter 13 is developing very nicely, and soon after that I can get back to the fights again. Hooray!_

_King of Fighters XIII is debuting in Japan this coming week. You can be sure I'll be following development on that very closely._

_Until next time, take care!_


	12. The Aligning Stars

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all associated licensers. The King of Fighters and it associated series are the property of SNK-Playmore and all associated licensers. This is not a work for profit. I claim no rights to the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Continuity for Ranma is mostly derived from the manga, with some of the anime sprinkled in for good measure. Continuity for the King of Fighters is a modified form of the current story, how that is should be explained in story, but I am willing to explain for those with further questions.

Enjoy!

Chapter 12

_In Southtown, U.S.A._

"Please Terry, I want to come along too!" pleaded the boy.

"Sorry Rookie, but for once I have to put my foot down." The older man's tone was firm, but filled with parental concern.

The boy was not impressed by this display of authority. "Don't 'Rookie' me! I'm almost an adult, I can watch my back. Plus, you took me to other tournaments, what's so different about this one?"

"I can't explain it right now Rock, because even I don't know all the details. I promise you though, when this is all over, I'll tell you everything I find out."

"Geez, I'm always getting left out the good stuff!" Rock sulked.

It was a hard decision for Terry Bogard to make. This boy, Rock Howard, who had in many ways become like a son to him, was indeed a promising young martial artist in his own right. If what Mary had told him was even remotely true however, then he had to keep Rock out of the latest King of Fighters tournament, even as a spectator. There was simply too great a risk of harm coming to the boy, and Terry would never be able to live with himself if that happened.

"Don't worry Terry we'll take good care of Rock while you're gone." Said Richard Meyer, the owner of the Pao Pao Café, the restaurant where the conversation was taking place. Richard looked over to his protégé, Bob Wilson, who nodded his head in the affirmative.

"Yeah Terry, it's no problem man. Duck and Franco said they'd help out too, so it's all _bem _on this end, 'kay?"

"Besides Rock, you can learn some capoeira techniques from me while you stay here. Learn to mix up your fighting moves a bit." Richard added. "When Terry gets back, you can show him up!" the older man gave out a hearty laugh.

This seemed to assure Rock somewhat. "I guess it okay if I can train, but I'll be watching you on TV, Terry. You better not lose this one!"

Terry gave his charge a cocky grin. "Al—right! It's a deal Rookie. If you train hard, then I'll give it my all at the tournament! Let's shake on it, like men!" he stretched his hand out and Rock took it.

"Take care, Terry." Richard said as he came over to shake Terry's hand as well.

"Remember what you said Richard, when we win this tournament, you'll treat the whole gang to a night of drinks on the house."

"Knowing how you and your buddies can put it away, I may be bankrupt before it's all over, but I will stay by my word." The older man laughed again.

* * *

"I'm telling you Andy, this is going to be our year."

"Yeah Joe, you told me that five minutes ago as well, and five minutes before that."

"But I'm serious Andy-boy! You, Terry, and I are back together again for the first time in God only knows how long, we can't be beat! I even got an idea for our theme."

"A theme?" Andy asked perplexedly. "Why would we need a theme?"

"Hear me out. It's "The Boys are Back in Town" 'cause that's exactly what it is!" With that, Joe Higashi broke out into a bout of his trademark braying laughter.

"I swear Joe, you are impossible." Andy Bogard said as he shook his head in disappointment. Why did his friend have to be so silly at times?

The two were standing in the parking lot of the Pao Pao Café, waiting for Terry to finish up his business inside. They had gotten off a marathon flight run from Tokyo to Southtown just the day before, and Andy was worried the jetlag had made Joe even loopier than his usual self.

"So you have any idea who we're up against this year?" Joe asked.

"Not really, my brother probably has an idea though."

"So you don't even know if your fiancée is competing or not? Andy-boy, man you dropped the ball this time."

"F-fi-fiancée! What are you babbling about? Mai is not…"

"How much longer are you going to keep up with this farce? We all know at this point. If anything, I'd think less of you if you hadn't taken the next step; very slick there, Andy-boy." Joe's face was very animated as he spoke, his huge eyebrows moving up and down in a suggestive manner, giving his words a very coarse subtext.

"Humph. Do not speak on matters that are not your concern Joe." Andy said as he tried to retain a modicum of his dignity. "I've been busy to focus on that anyway."

"That's right, you have an apprentice now. What's that kid's name? Narutomaru?"

"_Hokuto_maru." The other man corrected brusquely.

Joe put his hands behind his head as he pondered. "It must be real nice to have someone to pass your skills on to. Terry has Rock now that I think of it, so he's covered. Guess I should take on apprentice sooner or later as well, it's not like I'm getting any younger here… What are you snickering about?"

Andy removed his hand from his mouth. "I just find it funny that we are now old enough to have become the mentors. It was so long ago when we were fledglings looking for advice from our elders."

"Reflecting on the good old days little bro?" Andy and Joe turned around and saw Terry right behind them. They gasped in surprise.

"Brother!" Andy allowed himself a rare smile. Terry had always been good at surprise entrances, but to catch both of them off guard like that? His skills must have improved greatly since the last time they saw each other, even if it had only been a few months. That was his big brother, forever pushing himself further beyond what seemed humanly possible.

"Terry, my man!" Joe slapped his arm around the other man's neck. "It's been like forever since I last seen you. You don't write, you don't call, what's up with that?"

"Life has been a little complicated lately, that's all. I'm sure we'll make up for lost time at KoF."

"Now you see Andy, here's a guy who gets the big picture! We're going to win, and have a hell of a time doing it too!" Joe tried to give Terry a noogie, but the blond man managed to wrestle his way out of it.

"Unfortunately Joe, it won't all be pleasure this time around. We've got some business to do as well." Terry's expression hardened as he said that, confusing the other two men. Terry was almost never without his trademark smile, what could be bothering him so much?

"What's going on here brother? You seem disturbed." Andy thought for a moment. "Don't tell me… _that bastard_ is up to something again, isn't he?" He spat the last part out with great venom. He sorely did not want it to be true, but that was the only thing Andy could think of that would cause Terry's mood to sour.

"You're on the money, Andy. Mary told me first, but I confirmed it with my other sources. Geese is on the move, and he's involved with this year's KoF."

"No way!" Joe's jaw nearly dropped to the ground. "What's up with that guy? Does he have a death wish or something? After what you did to him last time, I figured he would stay far away from the tournament!"

Terry adjusted the brim of his cap, covering his eyes. "Guess you can't keep a good crime lord down; or a bad one for that matter. That's why I had to keep Rock out of this. There's no telling what Geese will do."

"So brother, is he entering the tournament directly?" Andy asked darkly, every muscle in his body unconsciously tensing. It was a long shot, but perhaps Andy could finally have the honor of personally defeating the man who had murdered their father in a one-on-one battle. Terry had put Geese in his place before, but it was high time for the younger Bogard to have another chance at vengeance. It would not end in failure like the previous attempt; Andy would make sure of that.

"Sorry Andy, Geese won't be competing as a fighter. He's assembled another team of lackeys though. I assume they're supposed to snoop around on his behalf, but what they're trying to uncover, I don't know."

"So who did ol' Goose Egg get this time?" Joe grinned. Spoiling Geese's plans always equaled good times in his book.

"Well, there's Billy Kane, no big surprise there. Eiji Kisaragi was hired as well. The last one really threw me for a loop though: Raiden."

"Impossible!" Joe cried out. "I don't believe that, I call bullcrap!"

"Brother, are you sure about that?" Andy voice cracked with concern. "This is our friend we are talking about here. Why would he join Geese?"

"Yeah, Raiden went straight years ago! No way would he work again for a scum bag like Geese!" Joe was screaming only a few inches from Terry's face, but the other man did not lose his composure for even a second.

"It's all true though; he's been seen hanging around Howard Arena training with Billy. I don't understand why he did it anymore then you Joe, but you have to accept it." It was at times like these that Terry wished he was a bit more articulate. He never seemed to be able adequately explain things when it really counted.

"Humph, accept nothing! I'll go confront him and get an answer! If you don't want to come along, then to hell to you!" Joe turned to leave.

Andy's hand shot out and grabbed his friend's arm. "Get a hold of yourself man! Do you really think Terry or I don't care? Of course we do! But running downtown and getting into a fight with Geese's private army is not going to accomplish anything. We can confront him at the tournament, and get to the bottom of this once and for all!"

Joe seethed for a few seconds, but his anger quickly left him. Such was his nature.

"Alright Andy-boy, we'll play it your way. But when we face Geese's team, I want first dibs on Raiden. I'm going to personally beat some sense into that fool!"

Terry silently thanked his younger brother for being able to resolve the situation. Andy, if you only realized that your wisdom is as great a gift as any physical ability, maybe you could allow yourself to be a little happier in life, thought the older brother.

He then returned to his usual jovial self. "So now you both know the score. We put a stop to Geese's operations first and foremost, but we're also in it to win in it!" Terry put out his hand.

"Of course brother, it's all or nothing!" Andy's hand joined his brother's.

"Yosha! I wouldn't want to do it any other way!" Joe added his hand to the pile.

"O—kay! C'mon, let's do this!" Terry called out. The trio raised their hands and Terry brought his up to his cap, grabbing the headwear and tossing it to the ground in a dramatic fashion. He stood there for a moment, and it seemed as if time stood still…

"Brother, you know you should pick that up before it blows away."

"Oh give him a break Andy-boy, let him have his moment of glory."

* * *

_In the Amazon Rainforest, Northern Brazil_

"How reliable would you guess this intel is, Gibbons?" The commander gave a hard glare with his one good eye to the young intelligence officer, testing her mettle.

"There is over a 99% percent of it being accurate sir. For all intents and purposes, it's rock solid info. This might be the lead that will crack the whole mystery open." Gibbon responded without an ounce of doubt in her voice. The commander smiled, she was a good find. It was good to know that such quality personnel could be recruited in these times of relative peace.

"Well Commander, what are we going to do about this?" asked Captain Duranovich. "If it is true like Gibbons says, then I suggest we launch an assault operation immediately."

"Your suggestion is noted Misha, but I have some doubts about this that are bothering the hell out of me."

Major Pereira decided to add her feelings on the issue. "But they attacked us on our own turf Commander. No one who messed with us in the past ever got away with it, and I don't want to start setting a precedent!"

"Don't be hasty." Said another one of the officers, a lieutenant by rank, but widely respected as one of the "grand old men" of the unit.

"Clark… I wasn't…" Pereira tried to regain her composure.

"Remember Teresa, with just a handful of operatives, they were able in infiltrate and destroy a fully armed and manned destroyer, simply to recover the body of a dead man. The fact they were able to do that shows just how dangerous they are. Am I right Commander?" Lieutenant Clark Steel turned to the commander to silently confirm that this was what he was worried about.

"Lieutenant Steel is correct, but I would like to hear more opinions. Private Heidern, what thoughts would you like to contribute?"

"Sir, if it is okay with you… I think the opinion of a common soldier is not relevant to this discussion."

"That was not a suggestion Private, it was an order." The commander fired back. Damn it, why did this girl have to be so stubborn about her feelings? He knew that she had good reason to be reserved on most issues, but this personally concerned her!

"Order understood, sir. I will give you my opinion, to the best of my professional abilities." The private took a deep breath, using the pause to collect her thoughts. When she finally spoke once more, her tone was cold, clinical, and without passion.

"I feel that the enemy we face is exceptionally cunning and manipulative. Ever since our unit's first encounter with them in the field, they have shown themselves to always have a plan for every possible contingency. When dealing with them, there are no coincidences."

"What are you implying private? You do not trust the data I collected?" Gibbons asked pointedly. She had always been freaked out by the private since they had first met. Adopted daughter of the commander or not, her behavior was very off-putting, and the intelligence officer could not understand how anyone could be so devoid of emotion in even the most trying of circumstances.

"I do not doubt the accuracy of you data Captain, but rather the reason you were able to find it in the first place. Since the time of their last attack on us, we had not been able to find a trace of the enemy's whereabouts, at least until forty-eight hours ago. That this coincided with another critical event suggests that this was intentional on their part, _they wanted us to know_."

"Other critical event? Explain yourself Private." Gibbons was becoming more frustrated now. As an intel officer, she understood the value of being cryptic, but this Heidern girl had her utterly baffled.

"Yes, I see where you're going with this Private." The commander chimed in. "Very clever on their part, making us an offer we cannot refuse."

"Commander?" Gibbons eyes grew very wide. Was this some sort of private joke shared among the inner circle of the unit? The captain did not find it very funny if it was.

"You're new around here Captain, so I can understand your confusion. I will take a guess and say you do not follow the professional martial arts scene, right?" He dug into his pocket and pulled out an envelope.

"No sir, I cannot say that I do. What does that have to do with our meeting?"

"The King of Fighters tournament; our unit has been tied up in it for quite a while now. We were attacked at the end of the last tournament, and now we have information on the enemy's location, right at the same time we receive an invitation for the newest one."

"You are trying to say that they are baiting us?" Gibbons could barely make sense of it all. Let's get this straight, she thought. A shadowy criminal syndicate attacked the world's premiere mercenary unit, destroyed valuable property belonging to the unit in order to goad it, and then leaked critical intelligence in order to force immediate action. All for the purpose of making said unit join a prize fighting competition? What kind of psychos are we dealing with here?

"To be honest, I'm glad it's come to this." Another man raised his voiced. "Now we can deal with those bastards personally, man-to-man. Ain't I right Clark?" He pounded his fists together in excitement.

"You know I've got you're back partner." Lieutenant Clark Steel turned to Private Heidern. "You in with us Leona?"

The Private looked at her comrades, her only friends and family left in the world, and for the briefest of moments, it seemed as if a warm smile touched her features before they reverted to their usual cold state.

"If that is my mission, then I will complete it to the best of my abilities, or die trying… with your approval, Commander." She rose from her seat and gave off a smart salute. The commander saluted back, silently confirming his approval.

"It's settled then," Colonel Ralf Jones rose up to his feet, his mighty frame casting a shadow over the room. "Let's wage war to the knife! Show these punks what happens when you mess with the Ikari Warriors!"

"Yeah! Commander, you can count on us!" Clark affirmed.

"For the honor of the Ikari!" The other officers shouted in unison. Commander Heidern smiled. Yes, even in these times of relative peace, good men and women could be found who were ready to risk life and limb to see that peace unbroken.

* * *

_In Toronto, Canada_

"So partner, what are you going to do?"

"Shut up, I'm thinking."

The two men were walking down a busy street filled with shops and people. All around them, the hustle and bustle of everyday life surrounded them, and yet these two men seemed to stand apart from it all.

"I'm not trying to pressure you here." The elder of the two continued, his massive frame towering over all others around him. "Don't misunderstand me on that. It's just that you have a big choice in front of you, and not a lot of time to make it."

The younger man grunted. What that meant, the other man had no idea. His partner was an odd one, but it was hard to fault him too much. He was still just a kid by most standards, and yet he was forced to take on problems that would break even the most well-adjusted, level-headed types.

"Well… I know what I have to do." The younger man finally said, running a hand through his shock-white hair. "It's going to piss off the girls though."

"Oh, I see now. You are going to take him along huh? That's a pretty bold choice. He's never been tested in a tournament before. You think he can handle the pressure?"

"He's just like I was, looking for a place in life. He needs to know that we trust him, that he's one of us."

"That's a very mature statement for you to make. You really are growing into a fine older brother. Don't worry, I'm sure Kula and Seirah won't hold it against you too much."

"Shut up you metal bastard." The younger man impatiently dashed on ahead. His partner could only shake his head in amusement.

More mature maybe, but still only a kid, the older man laughed to himself. He was so amused that he barely noticed the slight ringing in his ear. He relaxed and engaged his built-in comlink.

"Maxima here, that you Colonel Jones?"

"Just got out of a meeting with the commander, we've got to talk."

"This is about the tournament? We are already planning to go there."

"Collect your team and rendezvous with us at the point encoded into the other signal I'm transmitting to you now. This is big. We're going to need your help on this more than ever. Oh, and there's one other thing."

"What?"

"Tell your partner to keep that attitude of his under control when he arrives. The commander was not impressed by his behavior last time."

Maxima laughed "You can go tell K' that yourself when you see him. I like you guys, but you need to understand my partner is a sensitive young fellow, he doesn't like it when you talk behind his back."

"I don't think he likes people talking to him period, but whatever, I'll do it. Just be there on time."

"Can do Colonel, Maxima out." He looked up at the sky. "I wonder how the newbie is going to take all this?"

* * *

_Somewhere on America's West Coast_

"Not so tough now are you, China-man?" the biker sneered at his prey. That bastard, he thought he could mess with a member of the Atillas, the baddest gang in town, and live to talk about it? Look at him, all dressed up like he was from a kung-fu flick, and with that stupid girlie ponytail. He was about to get a lesson in respect he would never forget! No one was going to come save him out in this vacant lot either.

'China-man' stood impassively as the bikers surrounded him, taunting his bad luck and foreign features, among other more vulgar things. They numbered some two dozen in all; some armed with chains and other crude makeshift weapons. These miserable wretches, they were so stupid they could not even figure out that he was Japanese, let alone how much trouble they were in. He would enjoy showing them the error of their ways.

"You are dead," the biker leader piped up again, "We're going to break your limbs one by one, just like you did to Chico! Then we'll smash in that ugly mug of yours!"

"Chico? Was that the name of your comrade?" the martial artist looked coldly at the leader. "When you join him in the hospital, tell him he was one of the most miserable excuses for a man I have ever come across."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" screamed one of the bikers as he lunged at his foe with a broken beer bottle. He was fat, but still quite powerful looking, and the tattoos and scars that covered his arms added to his formidable appearance.

Without any warning, the larger man went down. A sickening cracking noise could be heard from his chest, as if his ribs had been shattered by some tremendous force. His fellow gang members looked on in shock. What had happened? The martial artist had raised his fist, but never even touched the other man!

"Oh God! He got Louie!"

The leader quickly took control of his troops. "No way, Louie must have fallen down on his own. Look, that punk didn't even lay a finger on him! Rush him, there's no chance of him getting out of that!"

With that, all of the other bikers charged forward. The first two who managed to reach their target were armed with a chain and a crowbar respectively. The one with the crowbar thrust his weapon at the marital artist's chest, using it like an ersatz sword. He was stunned when his opponent caught it with one hand. Deftly removing the crowbar from its owner's possession, the martial artist then proceeded to smash in the head of the other biker, before turning around and smacking the first man in the knee, sending him to the ground in a rush of pain. All of this happened within the space of a few seconds.

Having decided that he was now done with his warm-up, the martial artist tossed away the crowbar. He would not need any weapons to finish the rest of this trash off. Like a tiger, he pounced on his prey without any wasted movement or energy. A single punch to the gut to finish off one, a quick grapple with another to break his arms, and a swift hand chop to shatter the collarbone of a third. They made it so easy too; they had no concept of guarding themselves from attack.

That broke the morale of the others. They started to flee, but their foe would have none of that. It was no surprise to him that such scum would turn yellow at the first sign of defeat, but he would show them that once you start a fight, you must see it through to the end…

* * *

"Please, show me mercy! I promise I won't ever bother you again! For real!" the leader pitifully squeaked. He was the only biker still standing.

"No, you will not." The martial artist thrust his fist into the other man's face, smashing his nose. A rather mild punishment when compared to what happened to the others.

So it was all over. How awful, it only took four minutes. He had hoped to get a full night's worth of entertainment from it, but they had proven to be even more incompetent than they had first appeared. The martial artist sighed to himself. How many more of these fools must he cripple before he finally achieved his true goal? He walked out of the lot onto the street, but had travelled only a short distance when he sensed another presence stalking him.

"Come out, before I come to you." He growled.

"A very impressive display, exactly what I would expect of you." The martial artist's eyes darted around the street to find the owner of that voice. It was clearly female, and rather young in tone, but it carried a steely quality to it that interested him.

"Calm yourself friend, we are not here to fight." Another voice called out. This one clearly belonged to a young man.

"How disappointing, and I was hoping for another battle to pass the time. Well if you came to chatter, then at least do so where I can see you."

As if by magic the two figures appeared from the shadows. The woman had her blue hair cut in a bob shape, and was dressed in an absurd outfit that looked straight out of early 19th century Europe. The boy actually looked more girlish than his companion, dressed in black robes that seemed Chinese in origin, and with a ponytail that nearly went to the ground. And those painted nails! Not very impressive in the other man's opinion, but there was something vaguely familiar about these two. Had he met them somewhere else before?

"How rude of me, I approached you without formally introducing myself. I am Elisabeth Blanctorche, and this is my teammate Duo Lon. We have met before however, at the last King of Fighters tournament. I believe you were on the same team as that wrestler Tizoc, and the young pirate Jenet."

"Yes, now I know you. You were with that blond-haired twit." What was his name again? The martial artist would be the first to admit that his memory was terrible when it came to remembering anything outside of fighting techniques. Then again, he rarely bothered to learn the names of people he might end up killing anyway.

Duo Lon spoke once more. "Our teammate at that time was Benimaru Nikaido. Due to circumstances beyond our control, he will not be rejoining us for the next tournament."

Another tournament already? Had time really passed that quickly?

"So what are you suggesting? Spit it out, I hate people who dance around the point."

Elisabeth took her riding crop and pointed it directly at the martial artist.

"What I am suggesting is an alliance between you and us. I think a man of your strength and reputation would be invaluable to our cause… _Gato_."

Gato scoffed at her bold declaration. "Woman, do you really think I will fall in line just because you ask me too? I live on my own terms, and I have found KoF to be nothing more than a meaningless distraction that has long since come to bore me. You need a partner? Then go find a stray dog, it will gladly follow your tail!" He turned to leave.

Gato had only taken a few steps when Duo Lon appeared in front of him. Of course, now he remembered, the boy was a trained assassin and a master of Chinese Black magic. The real deal too, not cheap parlor tricks. No wonder it took him so long to detect their presence. Gato balled his hands into fists and readied himself for whatever would come next. At least he would get that fight he wanted.

"I cannot have you leave just yet Gato. At least until you hear what Miss Elisabeth can offer you. I think you will be most interested in it."

Elisabeth walked around Gato and looked him again in the eyes. Gato had to admit her resolve was admirable. It reminded him of Jenet somewhat; though unlike Jenet, this girl had the advantage of not being a noisy idiot.

"I know you are looking for someone Gato." She began. "Someone you have unfinished business with. I have information related to his location."

"So? You think a few tidbits of vague gossip will be enough to make me join you? Others have tried that game with me as well, and it is long played out."

"It is more than just gossip." Elisabeth pulled something out of her jacket, a photograph. She handed it to Gato, who took it cautiously.

He took one look at the photo, and his features hardened into a mask of terrifying rage. He instinctively crushed the paper in his hands.

"Where was this taken?" he asked in an ice cold tone. That it was at complete odds with the expression on his face made it all the more unnerving.

"In a remote mountain town on the border between Switzerland and Germany… coincidently located near the site of the next King of Fighters tournament." Got him, Elisabeth thought. She had researched Gato's past carefully. There was only one thing in the world he truly cared about, and he would follow anyone who could assist him in completing it, despite his churlish character. Underneath that hardened exterior of his, Gato still had some honor.

"The photo was taken only thirty-six hours ago. If you go there now, I am certain you can catch him. I will provide you with transportation as well, in return for your services of course."

Gato stood in stony silence for a few moments as he considered the offer.

"…Let us go then." He finally muttered, almost as if he was cursing. So he had gotten himself ensnared into KoF once again. This time however, the prospects were far more promising. Perhaps his long journey would soon be coming to an end. Yes, he would have to do some charity work on the side, but perhaps he could derive some enjoyment from it. If nothing else, some of those fighters would make good practice for his final battle.

Duo Lon looked at his new teammate with some trepidation. This was a dangerous game Elisabeth was playing, recruiting a man of this character. While he could sympathize with Gato's desire to gain revenge on those who had wrong him, Duo Lon could at least credit himself with not letting it consume his entire life. Benimaru had been a true team player and a consummate professional. It was a shame that he had joined Kyo Kusanagi once more.

I just hope you can control him Elisabeth, Duo Lon thought. If your mission is as important as you claim, we cannot allow Gato's impulsive behavior to endanger it. The very fate of the world depended on it.

_In Sunshine City, U.S.A._

* * *

"Come on you guys, finish packing! If you don't, I'll take off without you!"

William "Billy" Lewis was normally a mellow, patient man, but this was not a normal situation. Here he was, standing outside of the Lee Dojo, waiting on a group of teenagers to pull their act together and be on time to reach the airport. It went without saying that the cause was lost before it had begun.

"Yeah right Billy, without us you don't have a team!" a young woman called back.

"All my stuff is packed Billy. Pupa's done too. It's just that Lynn here can't decide what to wear!"

"Well this is important José! This is like the biggest martial arts tournament in the world, right? I want the competitors to take me seriously, but I need to look fashionable too."

"First off, call me Pepe. I already told you Lynn, no one calls me José, not even my parents! Secondly, making a fashion statement should be the least of your concerns. Sheesh, I'll never get you women and your ways… Ouch! Pupa! What was that for?" Pepe said as he rubbed his arm.

"I woman too Pepe! You don't understand me?"

"Seriously Pupa, who understands you? How did they even let you graduate high school?" he teased back.

"Come to Brazil, we see who sounds stupid then Pepe!" Pupa became very cross and stuck her tongue out. It was not her fault that her aptitude was geared towards machines rather than foreign languages. She had only moved to America two years before anyway. She would get the hang of English… someday.

"Guys, the schedule, you know the one we have to adhere to. I hope you haven't forgotten." Billy called back to them from outside.

It was going to be a long trip. First across America, then the Atlantic, and then finally France and Germany; Billy wondered if he could keep his sanity intact through it all, especially if his friends continued to act this way. Still, it was of the upmost importance that they enter the King of Fighters tournament. The clues to his brother's whereabouts, and the whereabouts of many other missing people from Sunshine City hanged in the balance.

A year before, Billy and his older brother Jimmy had crushed the Black Dragon cult in Sunshine City, but disturbing evidence had come to light that the cult was far more widespread than first thought. The presumed leader of the group died during the final battle, but the evil spirit that had possessed him escaped. Many of the people abducted or seduced into the cult remained missing; it was as if they had fallen off the face of the earth. Jimmy, that hothead, had run off to God knows where in order to gain revenge.

It was certainly understandable why he did that. Followers of the Black Dragon had been responsible for the death of Marian, Jimmy's girlfriend. He should have realized however that only through teamwork could such a dangerous threat be defeated, a lesson that he had ignored when others tried to reason with him. Billy had spent most of his time since then looking for his wayward brother.

It was not like Jimmy was the only one suffering. Lynn's grandfather, Billy and Jimmy's old master had been murdered by the Black Dragon as well. Pupa's older brother had joined the cult and then disappeared, which is why she and her friend Pepe originally investigated the group and met Billy and Lynn in the process.

Then last month, Billy had received a mysterious letter. He no idea how it even ended up in his hotel room; there was no signs of anyone having broken in. He was worried what it might contain, but curiosity quickly overwhelmed him. It turned out to be an invitation to the King of Fighters tournament, signed by a mysterious woman named Rose Bernstein.

After doing some research, Billy discovered a rumor surrounding KoF. It was said that certain people connected to its organization worshipped a dark serpent god. A dark serpent… a black dragon? There was no definite connection, but it caught Billy's interest enough to make him rush back to Sunshine City and inform Lynn. They decided to form a team, and Pepe had volunteered to be their third member…

But none of that meant anything it they missed their damned flight!

"Guys!" Billy screamed out once again.

"Okay Billy! Geez, you're so pushy." Lynn said as she lugged her bag out of the gate. Pepe and Pupa followed right behind her.

"Now did you say goodbye to your parents? You know we might not be back home for a while."

"Yes, I said goodbye to them, and don't think you can order me around in their place Billy!" Lynn scolded him.

"Ay yai yai. I wonder who those two are going to be fighting more with at the tournament: their opponents or each other?" Pepe sighed.

The young Mexican knew that Lynn had a major crush on Billy, which the other man was totally blind to. It was painful really, Lynn was a cute girl and those two would make a good couple if they ever got their act together. If it were not for the fact that he respected him so much, Pepe would have told Billy to get a clue a long time ago.

The four of them got into Billy's car, strapped themselves in, and then started out. As the Lee dojo slipped out of view from the rear windshield, Lynn took one last look at her home. Billy had been right; this might be the last time she would get to see it for a while. Maybe it would be the last time she would see it at all, considering the odds they were facing. Lynn shuttered at the thought.

"You okay there Lynn?" Billy asked.

"I'm fine, just fine."

"Don't lie. It's okay to admit you're worried. I'm a little scared myself."

"Billy…"

"We _will_ overcome it though. Even if KoF turns out to be a bust, I'm confident that we will find a way to bring everyone back safely."

Pepe and Pupa cheered their approval.

"Yeah…" Lynn had to try very hard not to blush.

The ride went smoothly after that.

* * *

_In Taipei, Taiwan_

"Athena! Athena! We love you!" the roar of the fans was deafening.

Pop idol (and part-time hero) Athena Asamiya lived for these moments. Going before a crowd of tens of thousands of people and giving them the performance of a lifetime. There was only one thing she could think of that could compare to this kind of excitement…

The King of Fighters tournament.

Yes, Athena had received yet another invitation to that troubled contest. She enjoyed being able to challenge herself and test her strength against the other martial artists who entered it, but it always seemed as if there was something sinister going on behind the scenes. Unfortunately, her team rarely made it to the finals, but they always did their best to assist the others to defeat the villains. After all, what else were heroes for in the first place?

Careful, Athena thought, the most difficult part of this dance sequence was coming up.

Off stage, Athena's teammates, her old friend Sie Kensou and her teacher, the old kung fu master Chin Gentsai, watched as she dazzled the audience.

"Athena's really on fire tonight!" Kensou gushed. It had been a while since he had been able to watch his beloved Athena on stage. He had been spending so much time training under Chin in the Chinese countryside, that Kensou had almost forgotten the joy of watching young women dancing to bright and catchy J-pop music. Not that he was a pervert or anything like that… no, he was a disciplined and upstanding member of the Psycho Soldier team, a model to young people the world over. Why would anyone think that he was pervert for enjoying…

Wow, Athena's costume sure showed a lot of…

No! He must keep such vulgar thoughts out of his mind. Kensou shook his head wildly from side to side in order to dispel them.

"Are you okay boy? Are the stage lights getting to you?" Chin was concerned. Perhaps this was all too much for poor Kensou? He had been pushing the boy quite hard these past few months so that he could gain greater control over his powers.

"No Master, I'm absolutely fine." Kensou moaned. He really hoped no one could read his thoughts. Wait, Athena was telepathic… oh crap!

"I want you to enjoy this." The old master continued on. "You need a reward for all of the hard work you have been putting in. Plus, you won't have much time to relax at the tournament."

"I know Master, but I'm ready for this!" Kensou could feel his skill and power getting greater with each passing day. He had even gotten out his fancy old costume from his earliest adventures with Athena in order to show his rivals that he was no longer a plain teenager, but a magnificent and proud expert of the Chinese martial arts. Of course he still needed to get it tailored… he really needed to ask Master Chin for some money to do that before they left Taiwan. Well, maybe he would do that tomorrow.

Chin watched his student as his thoughts drifted. Poor Kensou, he still needed about twenty more years of training before he could really unleash his full potential. Sadly, Chin knew that he would not live to see that day. He was well over ninety years old himself, and while some masters only grew stronger with age, Chin had not been so lucky. His best days were behind him, but he had decided to enter the latest King of Fighters tournament out of concern from reports Athena and Kensou had given him about the monstrous beings who had hosted the previous two tournaments. Chin could not ignore such evil any longer. He would confront and defeat it, even at the cost of his own life.

"Wow, it's amazing, look at those fireworks!" Kensou gasped in awe. "Athena's production crew really pulled out all the stops."

"Yes, it is beautiful." Chin agreed with his young student. "Things are always at their most beautiful just before they burn out."

"What was that Master?"

"Nothing my boy, nothing at all."

* * *

_In Osaka, Japan_

Benimaru Nikaido sat in uncomfortable silence on the train. How did he get stuck doing this again? Granted, he considered Kyo a close friend, the sort of person he would risk life and limb for, but this? Having to escort Iori Yagami to the airport?

I deserve a freaking medal for this one, Benimaru thought.

Iori sat in complete silence, glowering. When Kyo had said that he was back to his old self, it had been no exaggeration. Benimaru almost wished that the lost of his Orochi powers had taken the redhead down a peg, if only to make him more manageable.

"We're almost at our stop Yagami." Benimaru thought it could not hurt trying to start a little conversation with his new teammate.

"What are you babbling about? Why does that even bear mentioning you fool?" Iori idly fingered a cigarette between his fingers. He clearly could not wait to get off the train so that he could light it up. Too bad for him there was no smoking at airport either, he would just have to suffer for a day or two until they were settled down at the tournament site. On that point Benimaru could be mildly sympathetic; he smoked on occasion as well. He did notice however that ever since he had retrieved Iori, the other man had been smoking like a chimney.

Did Iori always smoke that much? Honestly, Benimaru had never paid much attention to his mannerisms up until now. In their previous encounters, the blond street fighter had always been more concerned whether or not Iori would explode into sudden, deadly violence against him and his comrades. Such was the risk of dealing with one whose blood was contaminated with the curse of the Orochi. Now that Iori was free of that, if only temporarily, it was interesting to see how much of his sullen, arrogant behavior had been connected to the curse and how much of it was a part of his own personality.

Well he hasn't taken a swipe at me yet, so I guess that counts as some form of improvement, Benimaru conceded.

Suddenly, the speakers in the railroad car crackled to life.

"Next stop, Kansai International Airport. All passengers planning to disembark prepare to do so. Have a pleasant day."

As Benimaru had predicted, the train was almost at its destination. They would meet with Kyo at the airport and start out for Europe immediately. It was not all that different from the previous times he had gone off to martial arts tournaments, and yet Benimaru could sense the urgency of the situation. The King of Fighters was always special compared to other competitions, but this might be the most critical one yet.

The train slowly grinded to a halt, and Benimaru grabbed his bag from under his seat. It was mostly clothing with a few toiletries, and some petty cash. He had learned long ago not to pack too much when heading off to a tournament. It was always more convenient to buy something abroad then to lug it around with you through an airport. Sure, it often cost more, but if you were not able to pull out some prize money from your battles, you really had no business being in street fighting.

Benimaru and Iori exited the train, and began walking through the station to enter the airport proper. Neither man spoke to one another the whole time, much as it had been during the ride. Meeting up with Kyo could not come soon enough, Benimaru thought. At least then he would have someone to talk with that did not respond in grunts and insults.

They came up into the main terminal of the airport. Kansai International was built on an artificial island in the middle of Osaka Bay, and the layout was designed for maximum efficiency in allowing passengers to enter and exit the complex. Their destination was the North Wing of the building, where Lufthansa ran flights straight to Frankfurt. Once the team arrived in Germany, they would have to find some other means of transport to get them to their final destination near the French-German border. Kyo claimed to have it all figured out when he last spoke to Benimaru on the phone a few days before, and that was fine with Benimaru. He had enough problems with tracking down Iori in some dive in northern Osaka and bringing him out all the way here.

Considering it was Iori who had insisted that he team up with Kyo again, it was strange that he had gone out of his way to not contact anyone in the time leading up to the tournament. Yagami seemed to be trying his best to make things difficult for Kyo. Not that it would surprise anyone who knew the history between those two, but it exasperated Benimaru that even after all these years the rivalry they had erupted in the strangest and most petty ways imaginable. Just what was going to happen when they actually confronted each other at the gate?

Ugh, best not to even think about that for now. Benimaru would just have to enjoy these last few moments of relative peace the best that he could.

Processing their tickets went without incident. Iori was shockingly mild-mannered during the whole wait; at complete odds with the ferocious personality he presented most of the time. If was almost if he was playing mind games, showing Benimaru that he only acted like a psycho around other fighters like him. Of course, Iori had always claimed he hated violence in the first place, only competing because he felt he had no choice in order to claim the revenge he felt was rightfully his. It had seemed like a load of crap, but looking at him now, one had to wonder.

Kyo was waiting for them when they cleared security, and much to the surprise of both men (though Iori hid his well) he was not alone. Standing at his side was a beaming Yuki. Benimaru could barely contain his amusement.

"And who is this charming young woman Mr. Kusanagi? Perhaps a fan you ran into at the terminal? I think we need a formal introduction."

Yuki giggled. "You're still a cad I see."

"The ladies of this world expect nothing less from me." Benimaru said as he performed an exaggerated bow. "It's why they find me so irresistible."

Kyo stepped between the two. "Hey Beni, don't take the flirting too far. Remember that I'm the jealous type."

"Kyo, please tell me what kind of boyfriend is not the jealous type? A non-jealous boyfriend, that's an oxymoron! But honestly, I'm allowed a little bit of fun, especially after having to drag Prince Charming here across the city." Benimaru pointed at Iori.

"Kyo." Iori said the name as if was almost an accusation.

"Yagami." Kyo replied in kind.

Benimaru almost palmed his hand in his face right there. That didn't take very long did it? Forget about how they would perform in the tournament, these two might not make it out of the airport!

"Enough!" Yuki shouted as her voice cut through the tension. "There will be no fighting between you two. Not here, not on the flight, and definitely not at the tournament."

"But Yuki," Kyo complained, "Look at how that creepy bastard addressed me by my first name! Where does he get off being so familiar?"

"What's the matter _Kyo_?" Iori taunted back. "When I kill you, it won't make any difference what I call you. Corpses never complain."

"I said that's enough." Yuki reiterated. "I spoke to Chizuru. She said you boys need a firm hand to keep you under control, and I intend to be just that. Iori, I know you're better than this, so stop threatening Kyo."

"You're kidding me! Treating Yagami like he has a heart, give me a break." That earned Kyo a hard slap from Yuki.

"For your information dear, that 'heartless' fellow over there saved my life once. He puts on a scary front, but there is a decent person under all that."

"Saved your life? When did this happen?" Kyo was reeling; he really had been away for too long.

"We can talk about it on the flight. I'm sure Iori would be glad to give his side of the story too."

Iori grunted again, and walked past the rest of the group.

"Don't bother me during the flight. I need my rest. Disturb me at your own peril." With that he walked through the gate to board the plane.

"That was amazing Yuki. I see you have not lost a bit of that spunk." Benimaru walked over to her.

"I'm glad that worked, because I had no backup plan if it hadn't." For only the briefest of moments, Yuki revealed her fear. It really had been a close call.

"Seriously… when the hell did Yagami save you?" Kyo was still in a state of shock.

"We can talk about it on the plane. I told you Kyo, I've been a busy girl the past few years. You can't cover all that ground in just a few weeks. Now come on, let's get on board."

"But… but… Yagami."

"I know, Yagami. You're really no better than him some times."

"Aw nuts!" Kyo shook his head, and then picked up his bags and entered the gate. Yuki went to follow him, but Benimaru stopped her first.

"How did you convince him to let you come along? I personally don't mind, but this is a big change."

"He visited me at my apartment. We went to Tokyo for a weekend, had a good time… and I simply could not let it end at that. When he told me another tournament was starting, I put my foot down and… well here I am."

Benimaru smiled. "That's good Yuki. He needs you, more then he would ever care to admit. I don't think he was ever the same after he left Japan without you."

"I need to stand by him. I… love him. I know he thinks he needs to protect me, but I want to stand by him through the hard times too. That's the core of a relationship."

"It might be more dangerous than you realize, that's the only warning I can give you. It's up to Kyo to tell you the rest, but he has enemies Yuki. Powerful ones at that and unlike Iori they can't be talked down from a fight."

Yuki closed her eyes. "Then I just have to put my faith in Kyo to handle them. He's grown though. I think he has more than what it takes to win."

Benimaru put his hands on his hips. "Well, he will have help. I'm going to do my best. Iori… I guess he will as well."

"Then let's go Team Japan." Yuki walked through the gate.

"Let's go Team Japan indeed." With that, Benimaru followed her.

* * *

_In Hokkaido, Japan_

The spirits here were restless. One did not need magical powers to sense that much. This long abandoned Ainu village, on the fringe of Japan's Northern Province was a place no normal person would ever dare set foot in.

Reiji Oogami had never considered himself to be normal. Such was the life of a Shinto priest charged with protecting human society from supernatural threats. Then again, it did make for some interesting stories for his daughter at bedtime.

"Just another day for a wandering mystic, eh friend?" he directed this comment to a shadowy figure crouched near one of the derelict huts.

"Are you a friend?" the figure challenged back. The voice was deep, foreboding. On closer inspection one could see it was a man clothed in the blue and white traveling dress of a Japanese monk, clutching a ringed walking staff in his hands. His head was mostly obscured by a wide brimmed straw hat, but the small part of his jaw and mouth that was visible showed a grim expression. Clearly this was not a man who smiled very often, if ever.

"I sure hope I am, because I'd hate to tussle with a tough guy like you. My name is Oogami, and I'm guessing you're Mochizuki. Have you been in contact with Chizuru?"

"Yes." Sokaku Mochizuki nodded and rose to his feet. He walked over to Reiji and formally bowed to him. Reiji returned the gesture.

"So Mochizuki, have you ever entered a King of Fighters tournament yourself?"

"Yes, but a different sort of tournament than this one. No teams were involved."

"I see."

"Even if I could not have found a team or received an invitation, I would have still tried to enter. The balance of nature has been turned on its side. The Shura have gained in power, and I fear that they may destroy the world as we know it if not stopped soon."

"I'm not sure these beings can be properly defined as Shura, but otherwise I completely agree with you. A lot of the trouble can be traced to the theft of two of the three Sacred Treasures by a young man named Ash Crimson. His actions have allowed the Orochi's power to reemerge, to say nothing of a bunch of other wicked spirits as well." Reiji idly kicked some dust around as he spoke.

Mochizuki raised the brim of his hat, revealing a pair of determined eyes. "Then this Crimson boy must perish, and the treasures retrieved, for the good of all."

"If we can avoid needless bloodshed, I would prefer it. However, Chizuru told me that Ash is extremely powerful and ruthless, so sadly it may come down to killing him as you say. More importantly, we need to protect Kyo Kusanagi. He holds the last treasure, and will no doubt be targeted."

"Understood. I have two questions however."

"Ask away partner."

"How is it that you still project the power of the Yata mirror? You already told me the Crimson boy holds it in his possession."

Reiji laughed. "Man, Chizuru warned me you were sharp, but damn. I'm a member of a side branch of the Yata clan. The Kaguras are the main branch as I'm sure you're already aware. We don't use the power of the Yata directly however, we channel a small portion of it through an artifact known as the Hetsu Mirror. Even when separated from the main keeper of the Yata Mirror, we can store and use part of the power. Think of it as an emergency battery."

"Then this power is limited?" Sokaku asked.

"Yeah, no substitute for the real thing I'm afraid, otherwise I would use it to try and strengthen the seal. I can use it in battle though, and for smaller rituals."

"It will have to do. Now my second question. Who is our third teammate?"

"Ah, I see Chizuru didn't tell you about that part. That's where you come in my friend. You see, there's a reason why we met here in this lonely place. Your clan specializes in making contact with spirits, and calling them forth into this world to help you in battle."

"And what would that have to do with… No! You cannot tell me you wish to…"

"There's a legend in these parts. More than two centuries ago, there was a girl who lived in this very village, an Ainu priestess. She was said to have been chosen by nature itself to guard against demons that tried to break the order of the world.

"She fought many battles, and eventually transcended into an immortal spirit who could guard this land forever. Her power dissipated with the onset of the modern age and the decline of the Ainu, but never truly disappeared. In theory, a strong enough infusion of mystical energy would be able to call her forth from her slumber, and allow her to take part in the key battles ahead… Or at least that's what Chizuru told me."

Sokaku lowered his head for a moment, deep in contemplation. He had never used his powers in such a way before. It was ambitious to say the least; though crazy might be a more accurate description. He had to give the Kagura woman credit however. Even in her weakened state she was resourceful and wise. He had no idea if this would work, but he had to try. Finally he spoke.

"I will attempt it, but I doubt my power alone could reach this spirit."

Reiji smiled, and then pulled something out from his black kimono. It was a small and ornately decorated mirror.

"Fear not friend. You won't be doing this alone. I, Reiji Oogami, will do my best to supplement your power. We succeed together, or we fail together, is that not the definition of a team?"

And then something amazing happened. Sokaku _smiled_.

"Yes, and soon we will have the third member of our team to complete us."

* * *

The bonfire burned brightly as Reiji added more powder to it. Sokaku recited one arcane chant after another as he delved ever deeper into the realm of the spirits. The ceremony was taking far longer than expected, and it was putting a great toll on Sokaku's body and mind. The veteran mystic was being pushed to his limits, and Reiji worried for the man's well being.

At this rate, the ceremony would have to be called off. It would be a terrible setback, but Sokaku's life took priority here. The red-haired priest put a hand on the monk's shoulder, and a shock ran through him.

Reiji could hear Sokaku's thoughts screaming through his mind. They said 'NO! Do not stop me now! I have almost reached her! You must give more time and power!' While he was stunned, Reiji complied with the other man's wishes.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Unseal!" Sokaku screamed as he finished the ritual. He planted his staff firmly into the ground, and then fell backwards. Reiji caught him and laid him on the ground gently.

"I have done all that I can." Sokaku said hoarsely. "Now we must wait."

And so they waited. How long it was, Reiji could not say. It seemed like days, although in reality it must have only been a few minutes. The fire died down, and it seemed as if nothing was happening.

"I guess Chizuru was wrong. Who even knows if this girl ever existed in the first place?" Reiji mumbled, half asleep. He was exhausted, having used up much of his power in assisting Sokaku. The monk was totally out of it, and who know how many days it would take for him to recover, and to no avail. It had been a complete waste of time.

As Reiji feel deeper into his sleep, he did not seem to notice what was happening around him, or if he did, he wrote it off as a dream. It seemed as if the village was aglow with white light, as if the heavens themselves were touching the land. A pillar of light sprouted up from the ground and connected to the sky. Almost as soon as it had appeared however, the light faded and disappeared, and everything seemed to return to normal.

And then from the forest just outside the village, a lone figure appeared. Small and slight of frame, she walked over to where Reiji and Sokaku slept. Looking down on them, she studied the features of these two strange mystics who had managed against all odds to bring her back to this world. So long had it been, even she had no idea when last she had walked among humans, or what year it was now.

"You both went through a lot of trouble to help me." She whispered in a childlike voice. "So I guess the least I can do is wait until you recover."

She took a seat beside Reiji and Sokaku. Looking up at the sky, a smile crossed her face.

"I do not know if either of you can hear me, but I want to thank you… Nakoruru of Kamui Kotan thanks you."

* * *

_In Gibraltar_

In a small back alley pub, business was wrapping up for the evening. The regular patrons were ready to head back to their homes, and the barkeep was busy cleaning his shot glasses. Among all this activity, one man stood apart from all the rest. He was young, probably not older than seventeen, and dressed in a most eccentric manner. At a distance, one might have mistaken him for a girl. Yet no one dared to question his presence in such a rough joint, for a strange and menacing power seemed to radiate from him.

He idly played with a wisp of his lemon yellow hair out of sheer boredom. What was taking so long? He had sent out the message more than a week before; someone should have replied by now. It was all so annoying. His plans were progressing regardless, but he hated to be delayed in any way. If nobody showed up tonight, he would have to resort to his backup plan a little earlier then he would have preferred, but _c'est la vie _and all that.

Shouting could be heard outside. Some drunk had gotten into a scuffle or something, a not uncommon occurrence in a dive like this. The young man would have ignored it entirely if not for what happened next. Without warning, a body smashed through the front door. With tremendous force it crashed into one of the tables and slumped to the floor. It was hard to tell whether or not the unlucky victim was dead, but he sure looked so. The people still in the bar began to shout and panic.

The young man smiled. So his message had been received after all.

"Ash! Get your punk ass out here now!" a booming voice called out from the street.

Excellent, Ash thought. Of the two possible options, this was the one he had been hoping for. He raised himself from the table and prepared for his long overdue meeting.

Standing across the street from the bar's entrance stood a large, powerfully built man of about thirty, though his youthful looks gave him a deceitfully teenaged appearance. His loose purple shirt, silver jewelry, and the tattoos on his lower forearms added to his wild, carefree image. His eyes however revealed something much darker; their blood red irises matching his lust for violence.

Ash casually skipped over to the berserker without a trace of fear. He knew full well what this man wanted, and he could provide it to him… in return for another favor.

"Ah, I see that it was you who came out on top in your fight with Oswald. Very impressive Shen Woo, but I guess not all that surprising for a man hailed as Shanghai's God of War. So tell me, is the old man dead?"

Shen clenched his teeth and grinned maniacally. "Who knows? Didn't check him after it was all over. I guess he might still be kicking. I've got to say, he was one hell of an opponent. Best fight I've had in a while. Even better was wiping out that underground pharmacy that put out the bounty on me in the first place!"

"So you are pleased? Very good, I did go through a whole lot of trouble to set that fight up." Ash put his hands behind his back as if he were a little boy.

"Don't give me that crap Ash. You would have liked it if we had both been killed."

"My dear Shen, what would ever give you that idea? I have nothing to gain from your demise. In fact I am in need of your assistance once more old friend."

"What? The new tournament? Yeah, I heard about it. I don't see why I just can't enter it myself though, after I splatter you across the street first!" Shen raised one of his fists and prepared to smash Ash into oblivion.

Ash was still not fazed. "Well there are two very good reasons why you should join up with me. First of all, this tournament is invitation only, without me you will not be able to enter."

"And what's going to stop me from prying that invitation from you cold dead hands?" Shen took a step towards Ash.

"Oh, that would be my second reason for joining me. I could show it to you right now, or you can take another step towards me and discover it for yourself."

"Go burn in Hell." Shen attempted to charge his target, but was stopped dead in his tracks by a sharp metal claw that was now pressed to his throat.

Who would be foolish enough to try that kind of trick on him? Shen turned to face his new opponent, but nothing was there. Then he felt cold sharp metal points sticking into his back…

"I cannot allow you to harm Mr. Crimson, Shen Woo."

Shen smiled. It was a girl's voice, a _very_ _cute_ sounding girl at that.

"Well, well Ash, I didn't know you had it in you. Hell, the way you dress I figured you'd never even consider it."

Ash chuckled. "That's what I love about you Shen, a jokester to the bitter end, a true kindred spirit. But this is one lady you do not wish to mess with, am I right Xiao Lon?"

Xiao Lon disappeared in a cloud of green smoke, and ever so gracefully reappeared between Ash and Shen, her claw still pointed at the latter man. Shen took great interest in how she held the claw: it projected out from an ample sleeve, the main body of the weapon concealed. He had seen this fighting style once or twice before, though this girl took it to a new level.

"Interesting, a hidden weapon user, don't see many of those around. What else can you do baby? I'm dying to know."

"Vile man." Xiao turned to Ash. "Are you sure we need him, I'm certain that our…"

"No need to talk of such things dear." Ash interrupted her. "Shen is quite the fighter despite his appearance. With him on our team, winning the tournament will be a breeze."

"And what do I get out of it?" Shen asked. "You don't expect me and the babe here to fight each other after this is over?"

Xiao huffed in disgust once again.

"No, of course not." Ash looked at Shen slyly. "However, there are several very interesting and very strong martial artists attending this year's King of Fighters tournament. Some of them have never competed in a formal tournament before. Think of it: a buffet of fresh meat you can gorge on. I am certain you will have your fill before it is all over."

"Ha ha, you are a sick puppy Ash, but you have my interest." Shen lowered his fist. "I guess I can have some fun with you one more time, and the little lady here too. How old are you Miss?"

"That is none of your business." Xiao coldly replied to him.

"Well at least tell me if that green hair is natural, it's really something!"

"None of your business." She replied once more, choosing to disappear in a cloud of smoke.

Shen turned to Ash. "You _have_ to tell where you found her."

"All in good time Shen. First, let's talk about my strategy for this year's tournament."

* * *

_In Southtown (Again)_

Home sweet home, Ryo thought as he approached the Kyokugen Dojo. Robert and he drove straight there from the airport. Their latest trip to Japan had been an interesting one to say the least, but it was always good to get back to the dojo. If nothing else, they needed to make sure that Ryo's father did not end up driving all of the students away in their absence!

"So you think the students missed me?" Ryo asked.

"Honestly? Don't ask a question you don't want to hear the answer to Ryo."

"You're really pushing it Roberta, you know that?"

"Hey, I just call them like I see them. Besides, if I were you, I would be far more concerned if a certain lady missed me or not."

"Who? Yuri… ouch!" Ryo grimaced as Robert smacked him across the back of the head.

"No you dummy! Do I have to spell it out for you? I'm talking about King!"

"King? Why would she care if I'm gone or not? Lady has her own life, and she's perfectly happy with it. We're just friends Robert. Don't let my dad give you any strange ideas."

"You are totally clueless you know that? She's a good friend alright, and she wants to be an even _better_ one to you, if you get my meaning."

"I doubt that. Besides, there's a ton of guys out there who would be better suited for her."

"You know Ryo, as your best friend it's my duty to look out for your interests. So I'm going to give it to you straight: at the rate things are going you _will_ die a virgin."

Ryo tried to tackle tackled Robert for that remark. "Damn it Robert, we're on a public street for God's sake! You want to announce that I'm a high school dropout while you're at it?" he screamed out at the top of his lungs.

Several pedestrians looked on at the scene curiously. Then they remembered just _whose_ dojo it was, shook their heads in resignation, and took off mumbling about how Southtown just was not what it used to be.

"Heh… heh." Ryo mumbled nervously. "I think we should go inside now."

"Yeah… I agree."

* * *

"Alright everybody! One, two! Horse stance, then shift into crane! Back into horse! You can do it!" Yuri Sakazaki cheerfully called out to her class.

She loved this. After being certified as a Black Belt in Kyokugen just a few years before, she was now teaching the beginner's course with her father's approval. Not bad for someone who had not even practiced a day in her life before she turned eighteen! Of course it was only while her brother was away, but she was sure she could find a way to make it more permanent. Maybe she could have a talk with their dad about it, but there were more pressing concerns first.

When was Ryo coming back?

"Hey sis."

He was taking far too long over in Japan.

"Yuri, I'm back."

Was he trying to keep Robert away from her? The nerve of that guy sometimes!

Ryo was now concerned. Was his dear little sister sick or something? Too much responsibility was put on her while he was gone, that must be it!

"Do you think Ryo is trying to sabotage my relationship with Robert? He has no trust in me whatsoever. Really he can be a complete ass sometimes and…" she trailed off as she realized who she was addressing.

"Well hello to you too, Miss Sakazaki." Ryo drawled. Any concerns he had were quickly dispelled. Yuri was clearly okay, for whatever that was worth.

"Big bro! Eh, it's… oodley doodley cool to see you!" Yuri desperately tried to come off as completely innocent, not that it would ever work.

Before Ryo could come up with a witty retort to his sister's duplicity, he was mobbed by the students of the dojo. This being the beginner's class, many of them were children.

"Master! Master Ryo!" they called out to him.

"Master, how was your fight in Japan?" asked one of the older students.

"Well you see it was…"

"Master, you didn't get hurt, right?" that question came from one of the younger girls.

"No, I'm okay but…"

"Master, did you learn any new moves?" asked a young boy.

"It really wasn't that kind of trip…"

"Master how did you…"

"SILENCE!" called out a powerful new voice. It came from a burly, dark-skinned man with a heavy beard dressed in a white gi. He apparently had entered the main hall from one of the back rooms in all of the confusion.

He continued. "Fellow students, show the Master more respect! He has just returned, and must be very tired. The first rule of Kyokugen Karate is self-control. You must drill that into your heart and soul if you wish to become strong like him."

"Yes Mr. Rodriguez." They complied in unison.

"Very good then, osu!" he called out to them with traditional karate salute.

"Osu!" they returned the gesture.

"I've got to say Marco that was mighty impressive." Robert said as he joined the class. "You carry yourself with the authority of a true sensei."

"Thank you Master Robert, but you give me too much credit. I'm no sensei, just someone who wishes to see the ways of Kyokugen properly observed."

"Marco!" Ryo called out excitedly as he approached the man. They shook hands, and bowed to one other in respect.

"Osu, Master Ryo. Forgive me for not coming out sooner, but I was deep in meditation. I may have been a little hard on the younger students for their behavior, but like them I wish to know how your trip went."

"Osu to you too Marco. I'd be glad to talk about it." Ryo turned his head slightly. "Hey Yuri, maybe you could wrap up class a little early so that I can tell you all about my amazing adventures in the Land of the Rising Sun."

"Hey Marco, maybe you could give my bro a speech about how modesty is a rule of Kyokugen as well." She teased back. The class started laughing.

"Yuri, what's up with you today? Give me a break already!" Ryo said as he tried not to be embarrassed.

"Yeah dear, give Ryo a break." Robert said as he hugged Yuri. "You don't know how much disappointment the poor guy had to suffer. He didn't even get to meet Sailor Moon!" The class laughed even louder (even Marco), and Ryo cringed.

"You know that joke stopped being funny months ago! Seriously, who even came up with it? And stop hugging my sister Garcia!" he was about to go on even further when he noticed that everyone had become very quiet all of the sudden.

"Crap, Dad is right behind me isn't he?"

Yuri slowly nodded her head.

Takuma Sakazaki, the current Grandmaster of Kyokugen Karate, stood sternly before all of his disciples. How he had managed to enter the room without anyone noticing was a mystery, but it was widely accepted that he could perform seemingly impossible feats through his highly tuned abilities. Ryo turned around to face his father, but before he could even so much as greet him; Takuma leveled him with a mighty blow!

"Kyokugen Secret Technique: Stern Punch of Parental Discipline and Love!"

"Looked like a plain old sucker punch to me." Robert whispered to Yuri.

"What was that Robert?" Takuma asked his student without even missing a beat.

"Oh, it was nothing Master, nothing at all." Robert was practically sweating bullets. He had forgotten just how acute the master's hearing was.

"Old man, what's the big idea?" Ryo grumbled as he rose back to his feet.

"Don't play dumb with me boy. I know what mischief you were up to in Japan. Beating up a high school student in an impromptu match, how disgraceful! You broke your obligation to Kyo Kusanagi, and put the burden on Robert to cover for your irresponsible behavior. By the way Robert, I see that you fought Kusanagi to a draw. Impressive, that shows real growth on your part."

"Thank you Master, you words honor me." Robert really was touched by that, Takuma rarely complimented any of his students.

"You are still in trouble however. What were you thinking covering for this fool?" Takuma pointed at Ryo. "Start washing the floors of the dojo as part of your penitence."

"Right now?"

"No, I meant next month. Of course right now! Robert will be joining you. Class is over for today. All students are to go home immediately. I apologize in advance for any inconvenience that it causes, but I promise to give all of you personal instruction as reimbursement at a later date. Yuri, Marco, please see that the younger students get home safely." Takuma turned to address Ryo once again. "I will be upstairs in the office attending to business, when you are done, join me there so that we can discuss this further. Dismissed!"

Everyone scrambled to comply with Takuma's orders. Ryo ran to the supply closet in order to pick up some mops and a bucket. That crazy old man, how did he know what happened? Never mind that, he made Ryo look like a fool in front of all of the students! Well, Robert and Yuri were already doing a pretty good job of that already, and maybe he could have handled things better…

"Hurry up fool! Those floors don't wash themselves."

"Damn you old man!"

* * *

Many hours of back breaking cleaning later, Ryo and Robert sat slumped on the floor of the dojo, having washed it spotless.

"Man, the students made a mess of this place while we were away. I thought we would never finish." Ryo idly played with his mop.

Robert looked glumly at the floor. "Worse yet, I barely had any time with Yuri before the Master started up on us."

"Actually, some good did come of this then."

"Oh give it a rest already you palooka. So, you going upstairs? The Master did say he wanted to talk to you."

"Please, it'll just be another speech about how I have to endure poverty and hardship in order to reach true enlightenment. Bashing my head against a wall would be a better use of my time."

"You know Ryo; your dad does care about you. He just has his own special way of doing it."

"Alright Mom, I get the picture." Ryo said, resigning himself." I guess I should get it over sooner rather than later."

"And if Yuri happens to come in while you two are occupied…"

"You'll treat her like a perfect gentleman, or else I'll make you something less than a man. That's if my dad doesn't do it first."

"Touchy."

"Well, wish me luck. I'm going to need it." Ryo picked himself off of the floor and headed up the stairs to his family's private apartments.

As he had promised, Takuma was in the office seated at a table doubling as a work desk. Hunched over a pile of bills, he was carefully reading them over. He seemed unusually absorbed in his work. Ryo could only wonder why his father was so seriously engaged in a task he normally went out of his way to pass onto others.

"Osu, sensei. The floors are clean." Ryo bowed deeply to punctuate his statement.

Takuma did not raise his head from reading. "Good. You have now compensated for the transgressions you made against our school. Let your aching back be a reminder to you not to repeat those errors again." He then raised his head up and smiled. "Welcome home son."

Ryo took a seat at the table and relaxed. "Good to be home, Dad. I have ask though, how did you find me out? Secret meditation techniques?"

"No. You would be surprised what you can find on the internet these days. Yuri has been pushing me to 'get with the times' so I experimented with it at the local library. Your little performance with that boy in Odaiba made quite a splash in the local press, although it was quite hard to find the follow up story. You really put that kid through a lot."

"Yeah, I'll admit I was a little rough on Ranma. He's a tough kid though, he'll pull through it."

"Ranma? You are on a first name basis with him?"

"Even the vaunted internet can't always tell you the full story Dad." Ryo chuckled.

"I guess not. I'm sure it makes for a compelling tale as well, but we have more serious things to attend to first. I had to visit the doctor again while you away."

"Oh man, what did they find now?" If there was one thing that could kill Ryo's mood, it was news about his father's health.

Ever since Takuma had collapsed from exhaustion in the dojo about a year earlier, he had been plagued with minor but recurring illnesses that had led to expensive testing and treatment at the hospital. It was really eating away at the Sakazakis' finances, and just when they had managed to get a stable core of paying students too.

"It's nothing serious, just an irregular heartbeat. What was the technical term the doctor used?" Takuma paused to think for a second. "Oh that's right, an arrhythmia. He put me on some medication for it. I'm going over the bills for it now."

"How much has it set us back?" Ryo asked.

"Too much, and I was told to cut back on my training routine for at least a few months, so I won't be entering any tournaments for a while. I have no one but myself to blame for this mess. I swear these health issues are tied into those years I spent wandering the streets looking for your mother's killer. I was a damned fool… I talk a lot about how poverty builds character, but this is no burden a father should put on his children."

"Dad, don't apologize. We're family, and we watch out for each other through thick and thin. We made that pledge a decade ago, and I'm not giving up on it now."

"Well then," Takuma cocked his head slightly. "How about taking me up on that offer I made before you left?"

"No, no, no." Ryo began waving his hands defensively. "I told you Dad, I'm not ready to run the dojo on my own yet."

"You will be thirty this year Ryo. When I was your age, I had already succeeded my father as the head of the school for several years."

"I'm not on your level. Not yet at any rate, and maybe never. You know I have to work twice as hard to get the same result as someone else."

"That has more to do with a lack of belief in your own abilities than any true deficits in your body or spirit. You have always doubted yourself Ryo, from the time you were a little boy. No matter how many victories you rack up, no matter how many opponents you best, you still allow doubt to creep into your mind."

"Kind of hard for me to claim I'm the best when I haven't even won a single KoF tournament yet. I've entered that thing nine times already, and something always stops me from reaching the championship. It's my lack of ability, and nothing else."

A thin smile crept onto Takuma's face. "Well if that's what is bothering you, I have something that might be able to correct it." He pulled out an envelope from the pile of bills and handed it over to Ryo.

"You're kidding me…" The younger Sakazaki was awed. "Another invitation?"

Takuma shook his head. "Yuri does not know yet. Marco found it in the mail a day after you left, and I have been keeping it tucked away for your return. Enter the tournament Ryo, and prove to yourself once and for all that you are a worthy heir to the traditions of Kyokugen. The prize money would be nice too. We could pay off all of these bills at once."

Ryo looked over the invitation and grinned. "Can do Dad, I'll show the world the power of Kyokugen Karate once again!"

Takuma got off of his seat and started to leave the room. "I'm turning in for tonight. If I were you I would do the same. Tomorrow, I am going to start overseeing your training for the tournament. It's time for you to learn some new techniques and surprise your rivals."

"Awesome, let's do it!" Ryo walked over to the door as well.

As they walked down the hall, father and son both felt a quiet pride in their accomplishments, as both individuals and as a family.

"So did you call King yet? That poor girl must be lonely without you."

"Damn it, I keep on telling you people that there is nothing going on between me and her!"

Downstairs, Robert could overhear his friend's shouting.

"Oh yeah, he is definitely going to die a virgin."

* * *

Marco Rodriguez walked down the lonely streets of Southtown's Bay Area alone. He had helped dropped off all of the students with Yuri and was heading back to his apartment. His mind however was occupied by serious questions.

Would Master Ryo ask him to join the team for this year's King of Fighters? Marco had approached him about it before the last tournament and had been refused. Ryo had felt that his prize student was not seasoned enough yet to risk himself in such a dangerous competition. So in the end Ryo took his younger sister and that King woman with him. Marco spent the whole time cooling his heels at the dojo with Master Takuma, training, waiting for another opportunity to present itself.

Ever since he first met Master Ryo, and was defeated by him in that fateful martial arts competition down in São Paulo, Marco had committed himself to Kyokugen. He had been hailed as the greatest student to enter the dojo in years, and his progress was nothing short of remarkable, having reached 1st Dan after only two years of study. He had even managed to create his own unique form of Kyokugen by blending many of the techniques with other forms of karate he had studied, and it had proven remarkably effective against a wide variety of opponents.

"Can't you understand Master? I want to repay you for taking me in and teaching me, an old fighter who thought he had nothing left to learn. Why are you so worried that I cannot handle myself? I learned from the best!" He continued to ponder his situation, but the sudden beeping of his cell phone tore him from his thoughts.

"Hello?"

"Hey there darling!" a sultry female voice responded on the other side of the line. "How's my favorite boy from Brazil doing?"

"Miss Behrn, you must stop calling me." Marco flatly replied.

"Hey, don't be like that Marco. Also, I really must insist you stop calling me by that name, you know I don't like it. Pretty, _pretty_ please?"

He sighed. "Very well Ms. _Jenet_, you must stop calling me."

"But I can't. I really, really, want you on my team. A big strong man like you is obligated to help out a weak little girl like me, right?" Jenet adopted a sickeningly sweet tone to her voice as she spoke.

"Not when the little girl in question is a notorious pirate."

"Oh you wound me so, and here I thought you were a gentleman. But come on, if I was really such a bad person, would someone like Tizoc work with me? You and he respect each other and that must count for something."

"Chicken-man has a big heart, and to take advantage of his kindness shows me just what kind of person you are."

"You say that now, but Ryo Sakazaki is back in Southtown and your chances of entering the tournament are looking slimmer by the second."

"Wait, how did you know that?"

"I have my ways." Jenet taunted. "Come one Marco-baby, I know you want this. I can help you, and I'll even let you have an equal cut of the prize money. Show the world what you've got!"

"Goodbye Miss Behrn." Marco abruptly hung up on Jenet before she could reply. That was it then, the business was done.

There would be no chance for him to join the tournament now.

Marco continued to walk back to his apartment. Maybe the Master would allow him to join the team this time. If he could just state his case strongly enough, show Ryo his passion, it would convince him. Or maybe he would be just shot down like before. Master Robert was apparently available again, and there was a very good chance Master Yuri would join her older brother.

Another year on the sidelines.

Marco flipped open his cell phone and called back the number Jenet had given him when they had first met. He prayed she would answer. Marco knew full well how women could hold quite a grudge when scorned.

"Hello?" Good, Marco thought, she answered.

"Miss Jenet, this is Marco Rodriguez. I must apologize for my behavior."

"Ha, I _knew_ you would call back, darling. Men like you are so easy to predict. I'm still willing to cut you in, but you'll only be getting an eight of the prize money now. Take it or leave it."

"You can take all of the blasted money if you want, just get me to the tournament!"

"That's a deal I can get behind. Pleasure doing business with you Marco-baby, see you soon." The line went dead.

Forgive me master, Marco thought as his hands shook. I know working with that woman is wrong, but I need to do this! I want to show the world what I am capable of. No matter what though, I will bring honor to Kyokugen, at any cost.

Marco travelled the rest of the way home in silence. He tried to purge his mind of all thoughts, lest he regret what he did.

* * *

_In Nerima Ward, Tokyo_

"So Ranma, I have a question for you?" Akane asked the pigtailed boy as he worked out in the Tendo dojo.

"So we're on speaking terms again I see." He responded nonchalantly.

"Jerk. I'm serious though, hear me out."

"Okay, ask away."

"What kind of opponents do you think are going to be at that tournament? You think they're all like Ryo?"

"Not sure, though I doubt it. I haven't put much thought into it. I figure I'll just let myself be surprised when the time comes." Ranma grinned. "I'm gonna beat them all anyways!"

End Chapter

_Another month, another chapter, but as you can see this one was kind of complex to write, a whirlwind tour of some of the team that will compete. That's right; I could not even fit all of the teams into this chapter! Others will be introduced later, so if a character you liked did not appear, don't worry just yet. _

_Still, there were so many characters, I wonder if it came off as a little too overwhelming in the end. Especially for those readers who have little knowledge of the King of Fighters universe. Well, can't blame a man for trying I guess._

_Normally I don't give big footnotes to my chapters, if at all. I try to keep the details in the story self-evident for optimal flow and readability, but this time is different. I have to explain at least a few things for future reference._

_Southtown is the fictitious city where the King of Fighters tournament was founded many years before the start of this story. I'll get into the history of that at a later date, but here's what you need to know. Southtown is located in the American South (as if the name didn't give it away), its exact location never given by SNK by highly suggested to be in Northern Florida, in the Panhandle region. It's like a cross between New York City, Miami, and Chicago, and has suffered from a lot of crime over the years. It's the hometown of the Bogard brothers and the Sakazaki family, and a ton of other prominent martial artists either live there or visit it regularly. It's like the Metropolis of martial arts!_

_Sunshine City was the location of SNK's underrated fighting game Rage of the Dragons. ROTD was a tribute to the legendary Double Dragon video game franchise (the rights to make it a Double Dragon game proper fell through) so that explains why you have two brothers named Billy and Jimmy fighting a gang of criminals called the Black Dragons. Sunshine City is apparently located in California, as hinted in ROTD._

_Now let's talk about character names. K', how the heck do you pronounce that anyway? It's Kay-Dash for those of you who don't know. Why? Blame SNK, it was there idea. Gato is pronounced Gah-toh, his name being written with the kanji for "fang" and "sword" which says a lot about his personality. Kensou is pronounced Ken-su. Jenet is pronounced Jeh-neh in a pseudo-French fashion (she's actually English by birth). About Marco Rodriguez, in the U.S. he's known as Khushnood Butt… which in my opinion is dumb. They changed it to avoid confusion with a real life fighter named Ricco Rodriguez, but how you would ever mess that up is beyond me. So he's Marco in this story._

_On to the next point of order; next chapter will be posted in three weeks .I'm still writing every day, but these chapters take time to get up to snuff. Don't worry, things are coming along just fine. I appreciate the growing support here at ; I won't let you guys down._

_Until next time, take care! _


	13. Halcyon Days

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all associated licensers. The King of Fighters and it associated series are the property of SNK-Playmore and all associated licensers. This is not a work for profit. I claim no rights to the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Continuity for Ranma is mostly derived from the manga, with some of the anime sprinkled in for good measure. Continuity for the King of Fighters is a modified form of the current story, how that is should be explained in story, but I am willing to explain for those with further questions.

Enjoy!

Chapter 13

_Five weeks before the tournament…_

"So you see I might be gone for a while." Ryoga fumbled to find the right words to continue. "But don't think… that I won't miss you. I will! Please Akari; you have to understand why I'm doing this."

Akari Unryu gently shook her head. "Don't worry Ryoga, I will wait for you. I can see this tournament means a lot to you."

"Yeah, it really is."

"Then go and win it with honor… like a pig." She leaned in to kiss him.

From the other side of the room, Mousse audibly snickered at the display. These two really were too perfect for each other he thought, a sap and a simp. Or was that a simp and a sap? Pathetic at any rate, nothing compared to the pure love he held for Shampoo.

"You have a problem with me duck-boy?" Ryoga snarled as he turned around.

"Oh no, far be it from me to judge you Hibiki. Such a lovely scene, it warms my heart... like a pig."

"Ryoga?" Akari meekly called out. "Please don't get angry." She watched with relief as her boyfriend relaxed, if only slightly.

Akari really did not understand what was going on. The Chinese man had seemed nice enough when he first arrived, and he had gone through the trouble to escort her boyfriend all the way to the farm, but there was something clearly off about him. It was not just the coke-bottle glasses either; he seemed to get some sort of perverse pleasure out of mocking people.

"You two are teammates right? Teammates are like friends, and friends don't fight!" she was getting a little teary-eyed as she spoke.

"Yes dear." Ryoga complied. He hated seeing any girl cry, but Akari? He would cut off his right arm to stop that. Though cutting off his arm would probably make her cry more. Ryoga then realized should quit it with the metaphors, they were never his strong suit.

"Oh brother…" Mousse muttered, but held back any further commentary. Where had Hibiki picked this girl up from? She was too much! You would think she only existed to serve as his girlfriend or something, to make the Lost Boy's existence slightly less miserable, another sign of God's bad sense of humor.

Silence hung in the air for several minutes. As much as it pained him to admit it, Ryoga knew there was not much more to do here.

"I think we should go." He finally spoke. "Akari, please watch me. I'm going to make you proud!"

"Okay! I'll have a feast waiting for you when you return. Show the world what you are made of Ryoga!"

"Just don't serve him any pork. Wouldn't want him to become a cannibal now would we?" Mousse added.

Akari did not stop Ryoga when he moved to attack Mousse again.

* * *

"Unbelievable! In front of my girlfriend! I know I've asked this already, but just what the hell is your problem?" Ryoga said as he nursed some sore ribs.

Mousse only gave him stony silence in return. The amazon was applying some ice to his swollen cheek. They were on the road again, making the long trip back to Tokyo to meet up with Ranma and train themselves for the upcoming fights.

"Fine, keep your mouth shut. It's probably better anyway. Just don't go near Akari again if you know what's good for you." Ryoga adjusted his backpack so it would stop grinding on his sore back.

"Hibiki, if I ever have to return to that dull, stupid pig farm in my lifetime, you are free to kill me. It would the greatest act of mercy I can think of."

Ryoga just shook his head. He cursed his poor sense of direction, but not for the usual reasons. If ditching Mousse were a viable option, he would have done it without a second thought. Before now, the two teenagers had never really spent that much time interacting with each other outside of their mutual association with Ranma. They just never really had either the reason or the opportunity to do so, and in retrospect that may have been for the best. With every passing second they spent together, Mousse's deficits in character became ever clearer to Ryoga.

For one thing, the guy was so obsessed with Shampoo that he always compared any other girl he met to her. If he was not outright hostile to them, then he was at the very least condescending. Ryoga wondered how anyone could go through life like that. He had been madly with love with Akane at one time, but that did not stop him from befriending Ukyo or being sociable to any other female he met. Heck, his code as a martial artist practically demanded that he show any woman he encountered a certain degree of respect by default.

What code of honor did Mousse live by? That was a question Ryoga had no answer to, and considering how much he was going to have to rely on the other man in the upcoming battles, that hardly made him feel at ease.

* * *

The bell signaling the end of another school day rang at Furinkan High, and for the students it could not have come soon enough. Another day of crazy antics (courtesy of Principal Kuno) had nearly left all of the students stripped of their hair and their dignity. Good thing Ranma had been there to stop it.

"Man, am I beat. That crazy old man never gives it up." The young martial artist said as he lumbered home, Akane at his side.

"You think he's restless because Summer Break is coming up?" The young girl asked.

"More than a month beforehand? If that's the case, he should go book his flight to Hawaii and get out of here already. I have bigger things to worry about then some nut that needs a vacation."

"Yeah." Akane replied lethargically.

"What wrong with you? The burdens of elected office getting you down?"

"No!" she replied defensively. "It's nothing like that. Just…"

"Well what then?" Ranma stared into her eyes, trying to gauge her emotions. It did not work, as he would be the first to admit he was terrible at that sort of stuff.

"It's just…" Akane felt extremely uncomfortable. It was selfish really; Ranma had enough to worry about at this point without her piling problems onto him.

"I swear I'll never understand girls." Ranma spat out. Always so evasive with their feelings! How did they ever get anything settled? A sudden splash of water broke him out of his thoughts.

"If we're so hard for you to understand, why don't you just spend some more time as one of us!" Akane yelled as she threw a discarded bottle of drinking water to the ground. She then charged off ahead of him, huffing and puffing with every step.

"Like I said, I'll never understand girls." Ranma shook herself a bit to dry off, and continued on home as well.

* * *

_Four weeks before the tournament…_

"This is horrible." Shampoo said breathlessly as she read the articles in front of her. They were collected from Chinese magazines imported from Taiwan that specialized in covering the professional martial arts scene. Cologne had collected them for the purpose of finding out more about the King of Fighters tournament, and she had not been happy with what she found.

"You see the problem then, child?"

"Great-grandmother, Airen is in terrible danger! We have to tell him about this!"

The wizened old master stroked her chin, thinking over what she could do with this information. It was true that the tournament had a dubious reputation, but much of what she had found was mere rumor and speculation. Ranma, being the pig-headed fool he was, would dismiss it out of hand. Plus, it seemed only a few fighters who had entered the tournament in the past ended up dead. Compared to some of the crazier things Ranma had gotten himself into, this was tame.

"Child, I think the best thing we can do is observe. I do not savor the idea of my son-in-law getting mixed up in this business, but you know well trying to stop him from getting into a fight is pointless. Do not despair, I promise you now that if your husband gets in over his head, I will stop him."

"I don't know," Shampoo shook her head. "I have faith in Airen's ability to fight, but not in his ability to deal with crooks. They have no honor. They will take advantage of him, use dirty tricks. Stupid Mousse can't be trusted to guard him from that, he would sell Airen out at the first opportunity. Plus, pig-boy is so dumb he wouldn't even know if he was being scammed, so he's useless too."

"Please child, I will be there watching everything, and the crooks who tamper in my business will not live to regret it. Now, go out and buy the supplies I told you about. This is going to be a long trip, and we need to be prepared."

"Yes Great-grandmother."

* * *

As Shampoo walked to the convenience store, she checked over the list Cologne had handed to her. Such mundane items, it annoyed her that a proud warrior like herself had been turned into an errand girl.

Shampoo hated being stuck in Japan, a country whose culture she found strange and where she was regarded as an outsider. Everyone assumed she was an idiot because she had trouble picking up the language (like the Japanese were renowned polyglots!), and the only man she truly cared for always seemed to be out of her reach. Ranma _was_ her one and only love, she knew it deep in her heart. Not just because he was strong, but because he had the spirit of a true amazon; loyal to his friends and relentless against his foes. Plus underneath all that bluster he really was a just a simple and modest little boy and that just made him all the more desirable.

Stupid Mousse! He was strong, and not without his good qualities, but these days… Why had everything become so complicated? When they were both very young, things had seemed so simple. They were friends, or at least Shampoo thought they were just friends. Mousse must have seen things very differently even then. It only got worse as the years past. Any boy in the village who showed the slightest interest in her would quickly be "corrected of their impudence" by Mousse.

When Ranma managed to beat Mousse in their first fight, Shampoo was overcome with mixed emotions. One the one hand her Great-grandmother's gambit to make Ranma return to the village had failed, and that was a bitter disappointment. But that fight had also shown that there was now a man in her life who would not be frightened away by Mousse's antics. Ranma would always there for her, save her when she needed it, care for how she felt. It made Shampoo feel like a normal girl for the first time she could remember. That is why she would never give up on him, no matter how many other girls claimed they were his fiancée.

The tournament changed things however. It upset that delicate balance that had found its way into Shampoo's life. One tournament had introduced Ranma into her life; another could now take him away. She had no idea how she was going to do it, but she had to convince her love to untangle from this mess before it consumed him. What could she do though?

The time was quickly approaching when she would have to make that fateful choice.

* * *

Ranma knew something was amiss. He had managed to go through dinner without his dad trying to steal food from his plate even once. Clearly the fat old panda had some stupid plan in mind, and that almost certainly meant Ranma would end up being screwed over big time.

"Boy, we need to discuss something important." Genma said as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. The Tendos all looked attentively at the older man. Ranma meanwhile was muttering curses under his breath.

"What are you getting so huffy about? I haven't even said anything yet."

"Oh, forgive me Pops! I mean what have you ever done to betray my trust? Clearly I'm out of line."

Ranma's irony was lost on his father. "Exactly, so settle down. Look, this won't take very long. I just have to make an announcement."

"If you try to pull me into another wedding, I'll make a panda floor rug out of you."

Soun cleared his throat. "Perhaps it would be better if I said it Saotome. This does concern my daughters as well."

"Very well Tendo, I leave it in your capable hands."

Nabiki had to repress a laugh.

"Ranma, Akane," Soun began. "We have been thinking very carefully about the development of your relationship over the past few months…"

"I knew it!" Ranma yelled. He was quickly muzzled by Akane.

"Please father, speak on."

"Thank you daughter, as I was saying, we are pleased by what we see, but recent events have put that into jeopardy. I am of course talking about Ranma's involvement in that upcoming tournament. It is my fear that a prolonged separation between you two could lead to an undoing of all that we have struggled so long and hard for."

Ranma managed to free his mouth from Akane's grip. "That _you_ worked so hard for? I have to take care of every problem you two old fools push on me! This is exactly why I'm glad to be heading off to KoF and handling my own business for once."

Nabiki cocked a smug look. "You might want to listen to the next part then, it directly concerns that."

"Oh no you didn't." Ranma said as he eyes narrowed. He looked over at Genma. "Pops, tell me you didn't."

"Did what?"

"That is why I am paying for both Akane and Nabiki to follow Ranma along and make sure that he does not get into trouble." Soun finally spat out.

"You did!" Ranma cried out. "You did make a deal with _her_!" he pointed his finger at Nabiki. Every single time he thought he could come out ahead on something, Ranma could count on his dad to muck it up.

"Oh my, you really should not point at people like that Ranma, it's very rude." Kasumi said.

Akane was struck senseless by the announcement. She had not been informed of any of this beforehand, and up until now had been expecting to stay home while Ranma travelled to Europe. It had been gnawing away at her, even though she could not admit to anyone that she was feeling lonely at the prospect of being left behind. This certainly changed things, to put it mildly.

Ranma was still railing against his predicament. "And please tell me what Nabiki here could possibly do for me? Steal my prize money? Place bets against me? How did you ever come to the conclusion she's someone who can be trusted?"

"What can I say Ranma," Soun replied timidly. "She makes a good argument."

"PowerPoint is a remarkable tool when used correctly." Nabiki noted.

"Yes, such pretty special effects." Kasumi added.

"You... made… a…" Ranma's words gave out on him at this point. A slideshow? That was enough to convince them? Well at least Akane would never allow herself to be suckered into this stupid plot. Why she would probably start chucking a table at any moment.

"I think it's a great idea." Akane beamed.

"You too Akane?" Ranma croaked out pitifully. That was it, he was totally beaten. Defeating super-powered freaks? No problem! Navigating family politics? A lost cause.

Why couldn't anything ever be simple?

"Don't worry yourself Ranma." Nabiki looked at him mockingly. "I'll manage everything for you. You just win the prize money."

Ranma proceeded to collapse underneath the table. If Akane was not going to make good use of it, at least he could.

* * *

_Three weeks before the tournament…_

"Okay then." Ryoga pulled out an index card. "What's this one mean?"

"Monkey, that's the word for _saru_." Ranma replied manner-of-factly. "Didn't you show me that one like an hour ago? I wasn't going to forget or nothing."

Ryoga had to resist the urge to smash in Ranma's head with his umbrella. He was going through all this trouble to teach his teammate how to speak and read English at a proficient level, and still he was getting backtalk. The only solace he could take was Akane sitting in on the lessons as well. Ryoga was thrilled to learn that she would be coming with them to the tournament and a little nervous as well.

"Alright, let's try something new." Ryoga took out a clean index card, and then wrote down some words with a pen. "Read this."

Ranma stared at the words for a moment. "Um, wait a moment, this is easy. 'I am an im-per-ti-nent fat-head.' That's what it says." He paused for a moment "So what does it mean?"

Behind him, Akane could be heard giggling loudly. She never knew language instruction could be so much fun!

"Damn it, are you two mocking me? This is no joke!"

Ryoga grinned. "Of course not Ranma, I'm just building your vocabulary. You're a good student by the way."

"Humph, when we spar later, you're mine Hibiki!" Just for emphasis, Ranma stated it again in English.

"Why wait? Let's see you try!" Ryoga challenged back. Akane tried to stop the two boys, but it was too late. The Tendo home was filled with the sounds of fighting.

Across the hall in her room, Nabiki shook her head.

"Great, now he'll be fluent in three languages: Japanese, English, and Moron."

* * *

_Two weeks before the tournament…_

"You're such a baby." Akane teased her erstwhile fiancé. "It isn't anywhere as bad as you make it out to be."

Ranma shook his head glumly. "Says you tomboy, you're practically getting a free vacation."

The sharp sound of Akane's slap could be heard throughout the halls of the shopping arcade. Ranma rubbed his cheek gingerly as she stormed off. Some things never change, he mused.

How was he supposed to feel though? Ranma had spent the last several days _begging_ his parents and Mr. Tendo to reconsider their decision. Much as he cared for Akane, he had enough things to worry about without bringing his screwed up love life to the tournament with him, to be paraded in front of the other great martial artists of the world. He had no intention of coming off as a laughing stock to them before he even stepped into the ring.

And Nabiki? What did he need her there for? Supervisor his butt, that leech would bleed his wallet dry before he even left the airport. Ranma had even tried to make a desperate last minute suggestion that Kasumi be brought along instead, but of course that was literally laughed off by Soun. That stupid old man claimed it had to do with 'protecting his eldest daughter's delicate sensibilities towards violence' but what it really seemed to boil down to was that Soun did not want to be bereft of his all-purpose housekeeper and cook. It was sickening.

The conversation reached its definitive conclusion when Nodoka suggested that Ranma's numerous complaints sounded rather unmanly. At that point he had to shut up, at least if he wanted to keep his head attached to his shoulders.

So now Ranma Saotome had to glumly count down the days until his departure, with only his homework, his English lessons, and his martial arts training to distract him. Pretty glum all things considered. Akane meant well dragging him to the arcade to get his mind off things, but she simply did not understand his feelings. What woman in his life ever truly did?

"Yo there Ranma!"

"Huh? Daisuke? But…"

Standing before Ranma was one half of his friends from school. Daisuke was dressed rather causally. It was odd; Ranma could not offhand remember a time when the other teenager was wearing anything other than his school uniform.

"Yeah kind of awkward meeting you here, don't normally see you outside of school."

"So where's Hiroshi? I thought you two are inseparable."

Daisuke chuckled. "Hey, Hiro-kun and I hang out a lot, but we do have our own lives as well. Of course our lives aren't nearly as exciting as yours."

"It has its ups and its downs." Ranma said as he returned the smile. "Actually for once I have nothing else on my plate. Want to hang out for an hour?" He noticed Daisuke's expression turn tepid. "Geez, what's wrong with you man?"

"It's a little odd is all; I never really thought you'd want to hang out with me outside of school unless you needed something."

Ranma was put on the defensive with that comment. Did people really think he was that callous? Okay, maybe he seemed that way a lot of the time, but he also liked to think that he came off as a standup guy when it really counted.

"Daisuke, I'm serious. We're buddies. I'll tell you, there's a reason I've had so little time to hang out with you and Hiroshi lately. I've been so swamped by work and training, I practically live in my room when I'm not at school. It would be great if we could just shoot the breeze. Honestly, I need it."

"Okay, okay, you've got me Ranma." Daisuke said as he raised his hands in mock surrender. "Let's go over to the food court then, I'm sure they'll have a place for us to sit down."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

* * *

"So I'm learning all kinds of cool phrases now. Like 'Prepare to feel the righteous fury of my godlike fists!' Stuff like that." Ranma made dramatic gestures with his hand to illustrate his point.

"Well Mrs. Okazaki certainly does not teach stuff like that in 2nd period." Daisuke laughed heartily. "Ryoga sounds like the sort of English teacher I would want."

"Heh, the idea that anyone would want Ryoga as a teacher seems really odd. No offense."

"None taken, but it sounds like you're really throwing yourself into this, Ranma."

"I have." The pigtailed boy's features hardened. "This might be the biggest thing to ever happen to me, I have to be ready for it in every way possible." He noticed Daisuke was somewhat awestruck as he spoke. "Of course I can't get too full of myself, seeing what happened last time."

"Yeah, that was pretty scary. I never saw anyone beat you in a fair fight before."

"I never thanked you and Daisuke for helping me find a doctor after that. Like I said, you guys really are friends, whether you realize it or not."

"Sure. But we owe you big time too, Ranma. Before you showed up, our lives really sucked. There was nothing exciting to look forward to, and the bullies picked on us like no tomorrow, and Upperclassman Kuno… well he was no bully, but you had to be careful whenever you were around him."

"_Upperclassman_ my butt! That guy really gets on my nerves. At least we won't have to worry about him for a while."

"I was going to ask you about that, where did Kuno go off to anyway. No one at school has seen him all week."

A thin smirk formed on Ranma's lips. "He's up in Hokkaido, looking to have a "romantic rendezvous" with the Pigtailed Girl."

Daisuke's eyes widened a little bit as he tried to process the logic of what Ranma had said.

"Wait, _you are the Pigtailed Girl_. You mean you sent a letter…"

"Not me." Ranma vigorously protested. "I'd never do something that underhanded. It was Nabiki. Suppose to be a "favor" to me or something, though I never asked her in the first place. I'm sure I'll end up paying for it later. Still, I can't feel sorry for Kuno. Anyone that delusional deserves to be suckered." Ranma let out a deep breath and placed his hands behind his head.

"Wow, Nabiki can be really scary sometime." Daisuke said as he lay back in his seat a little more.

"No doubt about that, and now I have to put up with her on the trip." Ranma said that as if a giant boulder had been strapped to his back. Daisuke, who was normally happy just to sit back and not get too heavily involved in the problems around him decided that he had to do something.

"Well, sorry about that man, I know that sucks. But you want to know something? We'll be rooting for you. Not just Hiroshi and I either, I think most of the students are really excited about it. They just don't normally show it because they are afraid of the Principal coming down on them and all."

Ranma perked up at that. Of course it had to be somewhat of an exaggeration, but he was a sucker for any sort of flattery. A man needs some vices after all.

"Good to hear. Be sure to watch me, 'cause I'll show you just how tough Ranma Saotome can really be!"

Daisuke gained a knowing look on his face.

"It won't be just us. I've heard the King of Fighters tournament is going to be broadcast on TV again for the first time in years. The whole world might end up getting to see you fight."

"Like I said, you'll all get to see just how tough I am." He did not let it show on the outside, but internally Ranma was very surprised to learn that bit of news. There was so little about the tournament that he really knew; it was overwhelming at times. But there was no turning back now, he knew that much.

"Ranma!" an irritated female voice could be heard in the distance. "Where are you? We need to get home. Get over here already!"

"That would be my cue." Ranma said as he rose from his seat. "Sorry to cut you off when things were just getting interesting Daisuke."

"No problem, I understand. I only wish I had a girlfriend or two."

"Akane is not my girlfriend!" Ranma instinctively yelled. Uh oh, Akane was sure to hear that one. Before he marched off to face his punishment, he decided to give his friend a piece of sagely advice.

"Hey Daisuke, if you really want a girlfriend, invite some girls over to watch the tournament; perfect excuse to hang out with them. I'd try out Yuka and Sayuri first." Who said martial arts could not be used for constructive purposes?

"Really? Thanks Ranma!"

"Just doing my part." The young martial artist said as he walked off. If Akane did kill him, at least he could say he had done one really good thing before he reached heaven.

"Ranma you jerk!" the youngest Tendo sister yelled as she saw him casually approach her. "You're always are causing me trouble! And what was that about me and girlfriends?" She cracked her knuckles.

He just hoped his death would be quick and painless.

* * *

_One week before the tournament…_

Kasumi carefully handled the hot kettle and set it down on a tray. For once, it was not being used to undo someone's Jusenkyo curse, but rather to serve guests tea. From the kitchen she could make out noises of Ryoga and Mousse sparring in the dojo. They had been at it all morning without a minute's rest. Their work ethic was truly astounding, and she could only admire them for it.

It was sad. As much as Kasumi truly enjoyed Ranma and his friends' presence in her household and all of the fun and adventure that it entailed, she always seemed to be on the periphery of it, only there to clean up the mess and make everyone feel better. In some ways that was good, because Kasumi was fully aware of just how hard a martial artist's life could be. She had tried to be one herself when she was still a young child, when her mother had still been alive. Things just never seemed to work out however. Her own father had once said some people just do not have the talent in them, and should not feel guilty about it.

And then Ryo entered the picture. He was an odd man, not a judgment Kasumi made lightly considering she regularly interacted with ultra-powerful cursed martial artists, but he was odd regardless. She had seen him defeat Ranma in a match, and yet he was so… what was the term she was thinking of?

Oh, that's right: humble.

He put on a cocky front certainly, but underneath that exterior was perhaps the least conceited person Kasumi had come across. So strong, but he was modest about it too. No else knew this, but when she had gone off to clean the house the night he had visited, Kasumi had eavesdropped on the conversation between Ryo and Ranma. She had not meant to, but the Tendo dojo's walls were not all that thick, and her curiosity overwhelmed any reservations she harbored.

Kasumi had heard Ryo's life story, every detail. Like her, he had lost his mother at a young age, had to take care of a younger sibling, push himself to defend the family honor in seemingly impossible circumstances. And yet Ryo had become a great martial artist in spite of his own shortcomings, and was even now working hard to become stronger. He took nothing he had for granted, but still dreamed of obtaining more.

That stunning blond hair of his was just an added bonus.

Whoa, where had that come from? Kasumi purged any lurid thoughts from her mind. No, it was not like that at all she assured herself. She had just never before met someone who could understand her own experiences in life. It was just a shame they had not had a chance to get better acquainted with one another. Ryo had exchanged contact information with her though. Perhaps she could contact him just to see how he was doing?

No, he would probably be too busy. It would be rude to disturb him, and Kasumi would rather die than be rude. Why would he want to talk to a silly housekeeper like her anyway? It just was not meant to be.

Maybe Ranma could say hello for her at the tournament, provided those two even saw each other in the first place.

"Kasumi dear?"

Yes, that would have to do.

"Kasumi, are you alright?"

"Auntie Nodoka, when did you come in? Oh my, did I just space out there for a moment?" She slipped on a smile with practiced ease, and then turned back to her tray. "I am so sorry Auntie, but I need to get this tea to the boys before it gets cold."

Nodoka looked over the girl carefully. Something was very wrong, although Kasumi was trying her hardest to conceal it. Poor girl, always trying to be so mature and strong for everyone around her; what had she sacrificed in the process? Nodoka knew well how family and honor were paramount in the life of a Japanese woman, and that they could consume one's life until there was very little room for anything else. But still, this was a different age from Nodoka's own childhood, and Kasumi had so precious few opportunities to truly be herself. If she could not even honestly confide her thoughts in the privacy of her own home, then where or when?

"I will be back in just a moment Auntie." Kasumi tried to exit the kitchen as quickly as possible, but a firm hand reached out to stop her.

"I think the boys can wait a few more minutes for their tea dear, so put the tray down. Do not try to hide anything from me Kasumi. I have been around far longer than you, and I can see when another woman is in distress, no matter how well you try to hide it. Take a seat, talk to me. We are like family, and I want to help you if you need it."

"Oh auntie I could never waste your time with my silly problems."

"Kasumi Tendo," Nodoka spoke the girl's name sternly. "I am the one who will decide whether my time is being wasted, not you. Now speak, and do not hold back."

Taking their seats at the table, Kasumi nervously played with her hands, not sure where to start.

"Auntie, this is strange. I know what I want to say, but I just cannot get it out."

"Then I will take an educated guess then. You are interested in a boy."

"Not a boy really, he's a man… my God, did I just say that?" Kasumi cupped a hand over her mouth for a moment, but then removed it. "How did you know?"

Nodoka chuckled. "Kasumi dear, after I reached a certain age, I started to recognize certain things very easily. Maybe it is part of motherhood, or just acquired wisdom in general, I cannot say with any certainty. However, it is what it is, and I saw through your feelings very easily. So what is this man like?"

"Oh my," Kasumi began to blush profusely. "Well, he's older."

"Yes."

"And a martial artist."

"A fine a choice as any." Nodoka said with a knowing smile.

"He has a younger sibling who he had to help raise," the younger woman paused slightly as she realized that Ryo had sworn Ranma to secrecy about his past. "Well he's had a tough life, but he really made the best of it."

"Sounds like an interesting man. So, how often do you speak to him?"

Kasumi sighed. "That's the thing auntie, I have not seen him in over a month, and I worry I might never get to see him again the way things currently are. I have to admit, I have no idea if there's any chance for something, but… but…" she trailed off, if was just too painful to continue. It was all just a fantasy anyway.

"Dear, you have to go and meet him. If you hold back your feelings and do not let them blossom, you will regret it forever. You should know the courtship between my husband and I was no easy process either. There was a lot of doubt and hesitation from both sides."

Nodoka thought back to that time. Genma had been such a stubborn ass about admitting his feelings. He was so consumed by his training, and the constant protests that he was too poor to be considered a good match. It seemed at times as if they would never be together, but she made up her mind and persevered. At last she came out victorious. Of course even Genma's parents questioned what she saw in him, but the greatest pride of her life, her ever so manly son, had come of that union, and she did not regret all of the hardship she had endured for even a moment.

"It's not that easy." Kasumi started again. "You see auntie…"

* * *

"…So you see, Kasumi must attend the tournament as well."

"I don't really see it at all dear." Genma bluntly replied. "Kasumi needs to attend the tournament so she won't feel left out? What sort of argument is that? She should be thankful that she's being kept out of this insanity. Hell, I wish I was left out of half of my foolish son's shenanigans!"

"Why do you want to take all of my daughters away from me Nodoka?" Soun sobbed. "It's going to be lonely enough without my dear Akane and Nabiki around."

"Soun you have to let your daughters have a little more independence, all of them. I know you think Kasumi is this composed and well-adjusted young woman who can handle anything, but she's very lonely and needs to go out and experience things. Are you going to allow her to grow into a sheltered old maid with no friends?"

"Why that's preposterous Nodoka! I know for a fact that Kasumi has a large number of friends that she does various activities with. She's known many of them since she was in grade school." Soun crossed his arms defiantly. He knew his daughters better than anyone! Nodoka meant well, but simply did not know of what she spoke.

"Actually Tendo, now that I think of it, I haven't seen Kasumi go out with her friends in quite a long time." Genma said, if only begrudgingly. He liked Kasumi, but he had to admit that her social life had become a lot more limited since he first met her over a year before.

"Are you sure about that Saotome, I swear I can remember her going on a shopping trip very recently."

"Tendo, that was ten months ago."

"You're kidding? That long? Why has she not done anything else with them?"

"I am sure it's because her friends are moving on with their lives. It happens all the time Soun." Nodoka frowned ever so slightly. "Can't you see she is already being left behind?"

For a moment, Soun was shaken out of his complacency, but quickly buckled down. He still had one card left to play.

"Well even if that is the case, I know that Kasumi will not become an old maid. Doctor Tofu is quite interested in that girl; she does not realize it yet. Tofu is a fine man, and he will make a fine husband for my daughter when the time comes. We just have to let the relationship grow, let Tofu get over his shyness."

Genma and Nodoka both stared at Soun rather incredulously, making the latter feel rather uncomfortable. Had he offended his friends in some way?

"Tendo," Genma at last muttered. "The Doctor has been gone from Nerima for more than a half a year now. No one knows where he is."

It took a moment for that to sink into Soun's thick head. Tofu was gone? How could he possibly miss something that significant? He had known the man for over a decade! He noticed that his face was starting to twitch uncontrollably.

"Well if that's the case Saotome, where have you been going off to in the mornings? I thought you had a part-time job at Tofu's clinic!"

"Tendo, I've been here the whole time. You know, lounging around as a panda, playing shogi with you? I rarely leave the house anymore."

"Oh… oh my." Soun gasped. "Have… have I really been that out of touch with things?" It was a good thing Soun was sitting down, because otherwise he might have just slumped to the floor right then and there.

It was one thing to get lost in routine, but this… this was horrible! Maybe he had simply planned one marriage scheme too many, or spent to many hours lost in his work (the bills did need to be paid), but it seemed that Soun had let himself go on autopilot for far too long, and now his family was suffering for it. Something had to change.

"I guess one more plane ticket won't bankrupt me." He finally relented. "But how will I ever run this house without Kasumi?"

"I will gladly take over those duties in the interim." Nodoka offered. "You and Genma have to start getting your act together though."

"Why are you dragging me into this woman? I'm just a guest here."

"A guest who is contributing nothing to my finances," Soun growled. "Are you telling me you've not brought a single yen into this house for all this time?"

"Well you didn't say anything before now. I thought you were fine with it."

"Saaaoootttooommmeee!"

The resulting Oni's Head was quite impressive, enough to strike terror into the hearts of the bravest of men…

"Six months Tendo, isn't there an expiration date on these things?"

Nodoka sighed. Just another sacrifice for the new generation…

* * *

_Three days until the tournament… _

"Are you sure you want to do this Mistress?"

"I don't have much of a choice now do I Konatsu?"

"But you do have a choice; you simply do not want to admit it."

Ukyo was carefully packing up her clothing into a suitcase. She had been going through this process over the course of several days, carefully planning what she might need. The most painful part had been withdrawing a significant part of her savings in order to finance her vacation. Even if it was for the good cause of winning over Ranma's heart, Ukyo was never one to part easily with her hard-earned cash.

"Don't try talking me out of this. I'm already behind the game here, getting cut out of that weird business in China." She huffed as she pushed down on some clothing in order to create more room. "I'll be damned if I let it happen twice. You've come a long way Konatsu. I can trust you to run the shop for a few weeks."

Konatsu frowned. "That is not my point. Do you have any idea of how this is going to work out once you get there? You have never traveled outside of Japan, or even put much planning into this trip. Besides, Mr. Ranma is going to be preoccupied with his own responsibilities. I do not believe he is going to be in much of a position to do anything but fighting, if that is what worries you."

Ukyo gave her employee an annoyed glare. Stupid little ninja, he had a point of course, but she was sick and tired of being left behind on the big stuff. She had heard that now all three Tendo sisters would be accompanying Ranma along with Ryoga and Mousse, and the okonomiyaki chef had no doubt her rival Shampoo was planning to go as well.

But Ukyo's reasons for wanting to go extended beyond mere romantic intrigue. First and foremost Ranma was her friend, and he clearly needed moral support. Ukyo Kuonji would sooner be dead then fail in that duty.

Enough of that, she thought. Angst did not suit her. It was time to lighten the mood.

"Hey if all else fails I might be able to at least expand my business. I think it's about high time Europe was introduced to okonomiyaki, what say you Konatsu?"

The cross-dressing ninja forced himself to smile, but he could find no words to answer his boss.

"Well fine, be that way. At least help me push down these cloths, this damn trunk is overflowing."

"Yes Mistress."

* * *

_Two days until the tournament…_

"Kanpai!"

The combined Saotome and Tendo family members (plus Ryoga and Mousse) raised their cups and drank. It was a merry end to a long night of celebration. Tomorrow morning, Ranma's team would be off to the airport to catch their flight to Germany, and Nodoka had insisted that her boy and his companions get a proper sendoff. She had even insisted on doing all the cooking herself, to let Kasumi start her vacation early.

"I'm stuffed." Ryoga said as he sat back down and patted his belly. "Mrs. Saotome, my compliments to you."

"You're welcome Ryoga. If my cooking can give you that extra bit of strength to get you through the tournament, it will be all worth it."

Kasumi rose from her seat. "If you will excuse me, I think I am going to retire for the night."

"I agree sis." Akane said in support. "We've to get up early. The trip to the airport alone is going to be bad enough, and then the wait through security. I'm going to be a zombie if I don't get some rest."

"Right Akane, if anyone needs their beauty rest it's you." Ranma sarcastically fired off. This earned him no lack of evil glares from his surrounding company (except for Mousse, he found it rather funny).

"Just be glad that I'm in a good mood Ranma, or I'd pummel you." Ryoga crossed his arms intimidating. Ranma thought of giving a smart reply to his rival's challenge, but decided against it.

"Ranma, you're more than just a jerk!" Akane growled. "You're a killjoy!" she stomped out of the room.

"What wit." Mousse observed dryly. "It should be registered as a deadly weapon… a very dull weapon."

"Boy, are you ever going to learn?" Genma groused.

"You first Pops." Ranma got up from his seat. "Right now, I think I'll take the Tomboy's lead and go up for the night." He promptly left before anyone else could register a complaint.

"Good for nothing son, he has to ruin everything."

"You should not speak ill of him Genma, he's under a great amount of stress."

"Does that give him the right to insult my daughter without any provocation?" Soun asked pointedly

As the adults continued their argument, Nabiki sat quietly in her chair contemplating her future. In all the hustle of the past few days, she had been all but ignored. Normally that would have bothered her quite a bit, but in this case it had turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

There was money to be made, she knew that much. It was just a question of _how_ she was going to make it. Nabiki had never worked at this level before, most of her previous 'business ventures' were small-scale and easy to cover up. No, this would require a good deal of finesse, an attention to detail, and a lot of hard work.

Nabiki hated hard work.

Perhaps the best way to do it was just to pass herself off as the team's manager like she had originally planned. She could negotiate deals behind Ranma's back before that dimwit knew what happened; little effort with a high potential for profit. Not that she put a lot of stock in Ranma's ability to win. He had already gotten his clock cleaned by one pro fighter, and Nabiki was sure there were plenty of others who could do the same. Regardless of all the training he had been putting himself through, the chances of Ranma getting knocked out of the early rounds of competition were high. Nabiki needed a backup plan.

There was the old reliable standby of placing bets, but there were problems with that as well. Nabiki had no idea what kind of setup the organizers had, and even worse than that little information on how the competing teams stacked up against each other. Only a fool would bet blind, so this meant she would have to start scouting right away, in order to get a clearer picture of the situation.

More work for her, joy.

"Nabiki." Kasumi whispered from behind her. "I think you should go to bed early as well. You cannot afford to push yourself to hard."

"Oh don't worry sis, this is a vacation remember? I'm just planning to have some fun."

And what could be more fun than striking it rich?

* * *

That night, Ranma found himself having great trouble falling asleep. It was an unusual problem for him; usually he never had trouble sleeping. More often than not Ranma had to be literally knocked awake in the morning to get moving.

But it was all so exciting! The time had finally arrived, and in just a few more hours Ranma would be off to a strange land he had only heard of to compete against opponents with abilities he could only imagine. All that he had been striving for during his short life seemed to be building up to this.

Ever so carefully, Ranma snuck out of his room. He had to be careful not to wake up his father, who was snoring away and seemed at peace for once in his life. It probably was because Genma knew that for the first time in over a decade he would be alone with his wife with no pressing responsibilities. What he would choose to do with that time… it was best not to dwell on.

After reaching the courtyard, Ranma chose to do some kata to burn off his excess energy. Maybe after an hour or two of that he would be exhausted enough to go back to bed. Which one should he start with first?

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, boy. Expending all your energy late at night, you'll regret it." A voice shot out from the roof.

Ranma looked up at his uninvited guest. That sneering, high-pitched voice, he knew it all too well.

"Just got back to Nerima, Happy? Took you a while, starting to slow down there a bit?"

"You wish boy." Happosai leaped down from the roof like a cat, touching the ground with a grace that belied his crude appearance. "I just took the scenic route home is all. Tokyo is not the only place in Japan where one can find beautiful women and their undergarments."

"Ugh, like I had enough trouble falling asleep already." Ranma shivered. Was there anything in this world viler than Happosai? The younger man could not think of one, and he sure hoped there was not.

"You treat me with such distain boy. You're in no position to judge me given your own position. Stringing all those girls along, are you going to argue that it's somehow better than what I do?" Happosai idly lit up his pipe and began to smoke.

"I'm no pervert, and that's a big thing in my book." Ranma asked himself why he even bothered to respond. The old man was incorrigible, and it was a waste of time to try and debate him. On the other hand, he really did have nothing else to do right now.

"Eh, so you consider yourself moral huh? Then stop using my art now, since you clearly don't need it."

"What? Give up Musabetsu Kakutou? I'd die first!"

"Heh, a bad choice of words, but for once I won't hold you to it. All I'm trying to say is that Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu is my creation. You find no contradiction in using it despite hating everything I represent?" Happosai could see the confusion coming over Ranma's features. This boy, it was all too easy with him.

"I don't use it like you do Happy! I protect people, I help…"

"Spare me all that. You try, but you have your moments where you're as bad as me, you just rationalize it, while I accept my nature. I'm a very honest man you see. Let me tell you something, from the earliest time I can remember, I was labeled a troublemaker. They called me a pervert, a lusk who lived only for his own pleasure, and you know what boy… they were right! I've lived my life on my own terms, and have gotten more enjoyment out of it than a so-called "respectable" hypocrite like you could ever hope to. I regret nothing I've ever done, and I'm a better man for it."

Ranma looked on at the wizened master with condescension. What was this disgusting old fart trying to prove? Was this supposed to be Happosai's version of a pep talk?

"Yeah, that's wonderful Happosai. My life has been forever enriched by your words of wisdom. I think I'll run off to bed right now, so I can ponder them further."

"I am not finished boy!" the old man snarled. "Remember that you are still a hundred years behind me in skill! You will listen to everything I have to say, or you won't be leaving here in one piece!" Seeing that he had stunned the younger man into silence with his outburst, Happosai continued.

"Yes, my life has been one spent in pursuit of pleasure… with one exception. Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu, the ultimate martial art, my personal creation and ultimate legacy to this world. Can you even begin to guess how many decades I spent crafting the style you now use? Too many! I could have spent that time enlarging my panty collection a hundred fold, but something deep inside drove me to perfect the art, to make it the strongest this world has ever seen.

"Of course, you don't create a new martial art style just for the hell of it. I always intended to pass it on to any who were willing to learn under me. For some reason though, I could only find two young idiots who could barely run in a straight line, let alone fight. Still I did the best with them that I could, and they returned the favor by betraying me."

"That's just tragic old man, my heart bleeds." Ranma smirked. "So what was the point of this story again?"

"Like I said, I don't regret anything I've done in my life, but sometimes I wonder if my style would have spread further if things had been different." The old man blew out a puff of smoke before he continued. "As it stands, you are the future of the school. I don't like that for a second, but I accept it regardless. In the coming years, the reputation of Musabetsu Kakutou will be judged _by your actions boy_. You hate what I do so much? Let's see if you can do any better. The tournament will be your first challenge, but hardly the last."

"How did you know about the tournament? You weren't around for any of that!"

"Again you don't give me any credit. Just try not to lose too soon boy, show the world what my creation is capable of."

"I'll do more than that, I'll win it outright!" Ranma jabbed his thumb into his chest, brimming full of confidence. "You'll see for yourself what the future of the school will be."

"Heh heh heh, don't make claims you aren't prepared to back up." Happosai dumped some of the burnt ash from his pipe onto the ground. "Just try to survive, that's the best you can hope for."

"Are you actually saying I should take care of myself? You're not just getting slow Happy, you're getting sentimental too."

"Well I guess I'll be taking off then." Happosai said as he turned around. "There's just one more thing I have to do first."

"What?"

"Embrace those sweet melons of yours!" Without warning Happosai sprung onto Ranma, knocking him into the Tendo's koi pond with great force. The now transformed girl spent the next few seconds being groped, at least until she regained her senses.

"You perverted old lech!" she screamed "Repent in Hell!" Happosai was sent into the sky with a mighty punch.

"You see boy!" He called out before he disappeared into the night. "I regret nothing!"

Ranma spent a few seconds panting as she collected herself. Should have seen that one coming, she though, as if Happosai would ever be content to just have a conversation when the lure of boobs were involved. When the old man said that she was a hundred years behind, it had not been all exaggeration.

"What the hell was that?" a voice could be heard from inside the house. It sounded like Akane. A few seconds later, various lights could be seen turning on. Ranma shook her head.

"Well I won't be getting any sleep now, thank a lot you dirty old man... really"

End Chapter

_Lucky chapter thirteen, or is that unlucky? Oh well, I never put much stock in stuff like that anyway. Not much to say about this chapter, except the whole Ryo/Kasumi thing. I never intended to write about that when I first started the fic. Kasumi was going to have a rather marginal role and stay behind in Tokyo, but then it turned out to be a lot of fun to write for her, so I wanted to expand her role in some way that would not derail her character. Then it occurred to me that she and Ryo have a lot in common, and I had added in that small little bit about her not being present with the rest of the family in chapter eight (which had been done for a throwaway gag). I thought the resulting scene with Nodoka, Genma, and Soun turned out quite well though._

_Now let's move on to reviews. I have a small backlog on them at this point:_

_DrTempo: Is my version of Mousse all that much smarter than how Takahashi wrote him? He had flashes of cunning in the manga too, enough to keep Ranma on his toes. I'll admit Mousse in this story is more of a jerk than an idiot. Then again Mousse was one of the biggest jerks in the whole series. I remember this one scene in the anime where he taunted Ryoga about only being good enough to be Ranma and Akane's family pet (as P-chan), a plaything for the horde of children they would undoubtedly have… brutal stuff when you think about it._

_It's strange, but it's a lot of fun to write a character that, while not evil, is not really all that good either. Mousse is like a lot of people we run into during our lives: we don't like them, but we still manage to coexist and work with them anyway. They may end up even becoming a valued acquaintance, even when they are still jerks to the core, but that's just my two cents on the issue._

_As for a hint on who the villains are, next chapter will be very relevant to that, so keep reading._

_I really am a terrible person, aren't I? :P_

_Kamen Double Rider: Ranma being paired up with a girl from KOF would be interesting, but at the same time, I feel like building up a romance with the main character in what is in essence an action fic would end up looking bad. Either the action would be forced to come to a halt, or the romance would fall flat. You can only do so much, or maybe I'm just not that creative a writer. This story is always evolving however, so I can't rule anything out. That's the best answer I can give you right now, sorry._

_Chojomeka: Is Kensou all that jealous a person however? Not from what I've read of him. When Athena had a crush on Kyo, Kensou never took it personally, in fact he befriended Kyo! He'd probably think Ranma is a cool guy as well. Kensou is certainly an interesting character, and I plan to do some stuff with him, though it may have to be cut down in the interest of keeping the story focused. That's the problem with a story like this, so many characters to keep track of!_

_Guest commenter (Please leave a name next time!): Well, Ranma did come off as cocky at the end of chapter twelve. Then again, this is Ranma we're talking about here. You take away the cockiness and he's not really the same character anymore; same thing with his habit of putting his foot in his mouth. Don't worry though, he may be boasting in front of Akane, but he did learn his lesson from his fight with Ryo. He's going to be taking things seriously at the tournament… more or less._

_Tearian: You made an interesting point. But still I think you are overstating the hopelessness of the situation here. Ranma had the potential to be Ryo, he just needed to develop it. And also keep in mind the Ryo is one of the strongest fighters in the SNK universe, basically stated by the developers to be their answer to Ryu from Street Fighter. I can think of a lot of other KOF characters Ranma could defeat fairly easily. Ryoga is almost equal to Ranma, and Ranma recognized that in the manga as well. Mousse is strong enough to fight competitively as well. It's not like I'm going to throw them up against Terry Bogard and company in the first round; that would be way too much. I think you will find my choice of opponents quite interesting however. They're not the typical choices you would find in a lot of other stories, which is why I think they will be a blast to write and read._

_Fionn the Otaku: I just wanted to thank you for your reviews, you clearly put a lot of thought into them, and I appreciate that._

_Well, that's enough for now. Chapter fourteen will be ready in three weeks. Until then, take care!_


	14. The New Age

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all associated licensers. The King of Fighters and it associated series are the property of SNK-Playmore and all associated licensers. This is not a work for profit. I claim no rights to the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Continuity for Ranma is mostly derived from the manga, with some of the anime sprinkled in for good measure. Continuity for the King of Fighters is a modified form of the current story, how that is should be explained in story, but I am willing to explain for those with further questions.

Enjoy!

Chapter 14

"Could it possibly be? Did we finally make it?" Ranma asked as the train pulled into the station.

It had been one remarkable trip for sure. Ranma had never ridden in a plane before, and taking a flight across the better part of the Eurasian landmass was one heck of an initiation. All things considered, he would have preferred swimming across the Sea of China again; at least he got to keep himself plenty active when he did that.

The torture had not ended there however. No, first they had to take a train from the airport through most of western Germany. Akane and Kasumi thought it was all quite neat, if a little exhausting, and Ryoga was all too happy to please them with stories about his past (involuntary) visits to the country. Ranma on the other hand was left to stew with Mousse and Nabiki for company, not his idea of a fun time in even the best of circumstances.

Now however it seemed they really had arrived. Their destination was a sleepy little town, located in a sleepy little district named Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald. Ranma had no idea how to even pronounce that monstrosity of a word, let alone what it meant, and he did not care. It was there, in a small valley tucked away from human settlement that the tournament was being held. It was a really weird choice in his opinion, but then again it seemed like isolated mountains were magnets for elite martial artists and overpowered freaks; Ranma of course saw himself in the former category.

"_Fahrgäste, die den Zug verlassen möchten, bereiten sich bitte auf das Aussteigen vor. Danke sehr._"A male voice called over the speaker system in a loud but even tone.

Ranma turned over to Ryoga, who was already on his feet. Good thing they had one person in their group who knew some German.

"Does that mean what I think it does?" Ranma asked.

"Yeah, grab your stuff and get ready to move. This is our stop."

Ranma pulled his travel bag out from under his seat and quickly scooped up Akane's as well. The whole group began to quietly make their way through the central row out through the exit. They were quickly joined by many others, many of whom seemed to be foreigners as well. Presumably they were tourists who had come to witness the tournament in person.

Stepping out onto the station platform, Ranma took stock of what was around him. Not much, the green hills surrounding the town dominated the landscape. To be fair though, a small town in a rural community could never compare to the hustle and bustle of Nerima. Besides, it reminded him a little of when Genma used to take him for training in the Japanese countryside when he was a young boy. It was nostalgic.

"So what do we do now?" Akane asked as she made it out of the train after bumping into someone else.

"I don't really know. I guess we walk it." Ranma replied.

"Walk it? Do you even know what direction to go in?"

"Let's ask Ryoga. The direction he says we should go… we'll go the exact opposite."

"I heard that Ranma! You think you can just go and mock me?" Ryoga's fangs flashed as he yelled.

"Can you prove him wrong Hibiki?" Mousse smugly mocked the other man.

"Don't think you can talk bad about me and get away with it either Mousse! I'll break you in half!" Ryoga locked eyes with the male amazon and looked like he was about to charge him.

Kasumi looked on with concern. "Oh my, things are certainly going downhill very quickly are they not?"

Nabiki yawned. "You were expecting these goofballs to keep their act together after being forced to sit down for almost a day?" She whistled loudly at the boys. "Hey boys, maybe we should just follow the other people who seem to be here for the tournament? Preferably before they leave us all behind?"

"Yeah, will you guys stop acting like a bunch of idiots?" Akane complained.

Nabiki gave her younger sister an annoyed look. "You're not helping me here Akane."

And then it started.

"_Na wunderbar. Noch verrücktere Leute__._"

"_Aber nicht ganz so verrückt wie die letzte Gruppe. Sind das auch Teilnehmer des Turniers__?_"

Very soon a crowd of onlookers had surrounded Ranma and his companions and were giving them questioning looks.

"Uh, why are they looking at us like that?" Ranma looked around nervously.

"Great, now they think we're nuts!" Ryoga grumbled. "Ranma this is…"

"…all my fault. Yeah I know already. Can you go one day in your life without blaming me for everything that goes wrong?"

Bickering as they were, the pair was oblivious as a new figure approached them. He was an elderly man dressed in a plain but very sharp grey suit, his face framed by a fine silver mustache and a pair of piercing blue eyes which gave him a look of strength and vitality despite his bald scalp and stooped posture.

"Excuse me sir, you would not happen to be Ranma Saotome?"

"What is it?" Ranma asked rudely as he snapped to face this unwelcome guest in his affairs, it then dawned on him that a strange foreigner would normally not know his name.

"Ah good, you look exactly the same as from the photo I was given. I assume that man next to you is one of your teammates?"

"What's it to you old man?" Ryoga spat out curtly.

Unfazed, the man introduced himself. "My apologies, I am Egermann. Miss Bernstein sent me here to escort you to the complex. Follow me please; a car is waiting for us. We have little time to spare, so let us depart immediately."

Nabiki cocked an eyebrow. Well "Miss" Bernstein certainly went out of her way to be accommodating to her guests now didn't she? That was the one thing that had bothered Nabiki the most during the whole time before the trip. No matter how hard she tried to uncover information on the sponsor, she found nothing but vague references to past tournaments. It was almost like Rose Bernstein had not existed until about a year ago, but that was impossible. No woman that rich and well-connected could have just popped out of thin air… right?

Egermann guided them a few blocks west of the station where sure enough a car was waiting for them, a huge black and silver limo that gleamed in the midday sun.

"That's our ride?" Akane asked, feeling slightly embarrassed, "Seems a little much, huh?"

"You are free to walk to the complex if you wish young lady." Egermann looked at her playfully. "But I would not recommend it. Besides, you are attached to Mr. Saotome's team, correct? That makes you an honored guest, with access to services like this one."

"I could get used to that." Nabiki mused.

"You would." Ranma muttered under his breath. He turned to Akane "Stop worrying. This is what you wanted, right? Then let's do this. No regrets, okay?"

Feeling bolstered by his confidence, Akane's doubt vanished, replaced by a great smile. Egermann opened up the side door to the limo, and she entered the vehicle first. After they had all settled in, Egermann ordered the driver to start off.

The ride was very smooth and comfortable. Despite the fact that this was the third time in the course of a day that he had been stuck traveling, Ranma found this experience to be far more pleasant then the plane or the train.

"We shall arrive at the complex in less than thirty minutes." Egermann informed them. "At that time, Mr. Saotome must take his team into the Main Hall for official registration. All other guests may check in at the Visitor's Lodge to receive their rooms. Afterwards you can head down to one of the food courts for a meal."

"Main Hall, Visitor's Lodge, Food Court?" Mousse looked confounded. "Just how large is this place?"

"It is a brand new facility built specifically to host this tournament." Egermann replied. "Miss Bernstein spared no expense in its construction."

"A little over the top though don't you think?" Ryoga asked, genuinely curious. "Martial arts are serious business, but this seems to be taking it to a new level. Just what sort of woman is Miss Bernstein?"

"I cannot say much with any certainty." The older man said cautiously. "I have worked for the Bernstein Foundation for nearly a decade now, and yet have never met any members of the family in person. I can tell you one thing however; when she wants something… she gets it."

"Well that's not at all ominous." Nabiki said as she crossed her arms. Maybe she should have thought twice before pestering her dad to come along?

"I would not worry too much. After all Miss Bernstein did hold a tournament last year that went very smoothly from what I hear. Many of the participants from that one are returning to compete."

"Would that include Ryo Sakazaki?" Ranma asked hopefully. Kasumi perked up when she heard Ryo's name. She had been staying out of the conversation because she did not understand much English, but she wondered in what context Ryo had been mentioned in.

"I would not know that Mr. Saotome, as I am not responsible for those details. However you will be able to meet the other fighters at the Main Hall before the competition begins in earnest tomorrow. I am sure you can find out then."

Ranma sunk back into his seat. Now he felt a little uncomfortable. Just who (or what) would be waiting for him at this Main Hall? A while back he had boasted to Akane about how he was going to take out all of his competition, but that had just been a lot of hot air. In truth Ranma was very concerned about how he, Ryoga, and Mousse were going to fair among these other martial artists who were supposedly the best of the best. He had also made a promise to himself to uphold the honor of his school at all costs this time around. It was a heavy burden he had put upon himself, and Ranma had no idea how he was going to pull this one off. Happosai's advice seemed more and more reasonable by the second, and that was a scary thing for Ranma to accept.

But there was no turning back now…

* * *

"So now everything is set into motion."

Mukai looked upon the numerous giant TV screens with great interest, his eyes somehow able to track each of the images effortlessly. He took note as each team arrived at the Main Hall, studying their individual members, trying to gauge their strengths and weaknesses. It was such a diverse group, culled from many nations and representing nearly all of the major schools of combat. Humans really did show nearly unlimited potential, and that was why he could respect them despite their glaring flaws.

It was a shame that this would be their last hurrah before the end came.

Yes, it was cruel that the humans had to be wiped out, but necessary. That was the cycle of life and death that all beings, even one such as Mukai had to acknowledge. Nothing in this universe was eternal, but the promise of something even greater arising from the ashes of destruction gave all of the suffering meaning, and the New Age that was approaching would be glorious indeed. Mukai was certain however that humanity would put up a magnificent resistance before they finally succumbed, he expected nothing less.

There was one human in which he was particularly interested in. K', the boy who had been made into the shadow of another and yet relentlessly fought to break away from his wretched fate, his potential stood out even among the other humans. Mukai had challenged K' to a battle in a previous tournament, and while the Herald could have easily crushed his young opponent to dust if he had felt like it, he instead allowed K' to have a small measure of victory and a challenge to grow even stronger. The boy had predictably stepped up to that challenge and spent the time given to him to develop his powers to new levels. What would he be able to accomplish now? Had his hard work paid off, or was it a hopeless effort? Mukai intended to find out personally at the appropriate time.

"Enjoying the show Mukai?" a female voice called out from behind him. It was Botan; she had snuck into the viewing chamber with typical ease. Even a being like Mukai, who senses were far beyond that of any mortal creature, had trouble detecting her when she made it a point not to be noticed.

"You should watch this as well, to understand what we are dealing with. Look there for instance," Mukai pointed at the screen on the far left side of the room. "That is the Saotome boy who the Master asked for specifically. A very interesting young man, or should I say lady?" he chuckled as he thought about the Jusenkyo curse. Such a silly thing, but the hardships it had put upon the boy… perhaps it had allowed him to grow stronger as well? Was he another candidate for the New Age?

"I know full well who that fool is. You sent me on that mission to manipulate him remember? It was hardly worth the time in my opinion; he is far too young to be of any use."

"Perhaps, or maybe it will be his youth that will provide him with an extra edge. As I have stated to you so many times before, a blossom's life is brief, but still has value."

"Humph, well I guess there might still be some entertainment to be found in it." Botan lips curled into a wicked smirk. "The Master did entrust you with keeping track of the competitors after all. I have my own duties to attend to at any rate. I'll see you later then Mukai." She then departed as silently as she had appeared.

Mukai continued to watch Ranma as he entered the complex with his team. Yes, much potential lay in that one, it just needed to be properly developed.

"Now show me what you are made of young man! Rise, or sink into oblivion!" he lapsed into a bout of maniacal laughter that shook the very walls of his chamber.

* * *

"It's even larger than I imagined!" Akane gasped.

"They really did put a lot of thought into this." Kasumi concurred with her younger sister. "This Ms. Bernstein must be a very ambitious woman."

"Kasumi, that might well be the understatement of the millennium." For once in her life, Nabiki had no idea of what to make of the sight in front of her. In Nerima she had to deal with the bizarre on a daily basis, but this… what word could used to describe it? Sublime? Awe-inspiring? Magnificent?

Outstretched before them was a collection of buildings that in scale would not have been out of place in a large city like Tokyo. They were all made of light, cream colored stone and steel painted in a glistening white. All of them were dotted with hundreds of large glass windows. At the center of it all was a massive domed stadium that nearly blocked out the sun in the sky, its long shadow casting down on every person who was currently in the valley.

Egermann, who had already pointed Ranma, Ryoga, and Mousse in the direction of the stadium, was now escorting the girls to their living quarters.

"Yes, you ladies will be housed in the North-Western suites. That is where all the friends and family of the competitors are to be housed. It is a little bit of a walk, but I doubt it will be too much of a problem however."

"We appreciate all of your help Mr. Egermann." Akane smiled warmly at him. "If I may ask, what are you planning to do during the tournament?"

"I'm not quite certain yet. I have been instructed to report to Miss Bernstein for a special meeting with other members of the Foundation's staff, but beyond that I have no assigned duties."

"If you do have any spare time, would you watch any of the matches?"

Egermann chuckled. "I see where you are going Miss Akane. Yes, I would be proud to cheer for Mr. Saotome and his team if I have the opportunity. At any rate, I hope they do well."

"Thank you! It means a lot to us."

"I just find it wonderful that you support your boyfriend with such loyalty. That kind of commitment is rare these days."

"Bo… Boy… Boyfriend! No way!" Akane said frantically, waving her arms up and down. "You don't understand! He's a jerk, and a pervert! Why would anyone like that bastard? Oh, Ranma I'll get you for this!"

"Did I say something wrong?" Egermann looked on at Akane's tantrum with no lack of astonishment.

"Why is Akane so upset?" Kasumi asked Nabiki. "What did he say to her?"

Nabiki shook her head. "Oh, nothing much, just the same thing Akane always gets mad about: That she fell in love with a guy she can't stand."

* * *

"So we finally made it. I'm going to show them that just because you beat me once doesn't mean anything."

"I know. I want to show what I've got as well"

"Enough, let's just get this done with already." The other men nodded in agreement with their companion and walked forward.

"The Sports Team is going to win KoF this year for sure!" Lucky Glauber yelled out at the top of his lungs.

Ranma Saotome looked on at their display with no little amount of amusement. Two seconds after he entered the Main Hall he already encountered some weirdoes.

"Those guys are huge." Ryoga noted. "But what's up with the football motif on that guy on the left? And the purple windbreaker on the other one, does he actually fight while wearing it?"

"I sure hope we don't have to fight those guys." Mousse said with mock anguish. "I might die of laughter before I can beat them into a fine pulp."

Ranma turned serious. "Hey, let's not try to underestimate any of our opponents here. They could be capable of anything."

"Oh of course my glorious leader, how could I ever ignore your sage advice?"

At that moment Ranma truly regretted the no fighting policy present in the hall.

"You know, I just thought of something. Do we have any idea of where the signup station is?" Ryoga asked his companions.

"Didn't the old dude say it was straight ahead?" Ranma replied.

"But there's a fork in front of us."

Ranma looked in front of him. Sure enough the hallway broke off into two directions. No signs were present to clarify the situation. He scratched his head.

"Look at that, for once Ryoga is right when it comes to directions."

"The end of the world must be soon at hand." Mousse started snickering again.

With great effort Ryoga contained his anger, even though a vein prominently bulged from his forehead. "Hey guys, here's an idea. Maybe we should, I don't know, _find_ _out_ where we should go before we run out of time?"

"Alright Ryoga, calm down." Ranma said. It was hard to believe that the Lost Boy could still be so sensitive over even a minor ribbing. "We'll just ask someone, it's as simple as that. Like that guy over there."

Ranma pointed at an unusual looking fellow standing at the entrance of the left corridor. He looked Japanese, but his attire was like nothing Ranma had ever seen before. A red chest protector covered his torso, and his loose white pants seemed all the more odd by comparison. His spiky black hair, equal to that of any anime character, was kept in place by a red headband.

"Yo dude, could you help us out?" Ranma walked over to him. On closer inspection Ranma noticed the man seemed to be carrying something on his back. Was that… a giant boomerang? A guy like this would not have been out of place in Nerima, for better or for worse.

"YOU NEED HELP!" the other man screamed out in an ear-splitting voice. Ranma was taken aback, but decided to continue.

"Do you know where the signup is?"

"GO TAKE THE RIGHT CORRIDOR, THEN TAKE A LEFT. YOU CAN'T MISS IT!"

"Uh, thanks?"

"DON'T MENTION IT! I'M SHO HAYATE OF THE FU'UN SCHOOL OF MARTIAL ARTS! AND YOU ARE!"

"Ranma Saotome of the Musabetsu Kakutou style."

"GOOD! I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU IN BATTLE RANMA SAOTOME! LET'S SEE WHO HAS THE STRONGER STYLE! UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!"

"Okay? I'll be going now." Ranma quickly bowed to Hayate and left to rejoin his team, grateful but a little weirded out all the same. Yes, this fellow would be right at home in Nerima… hopefully he would never find the place; Ranma's hearing would be gone in a week!

Meanwhile, Hayate could only think of one thing.

WHAT A NICE GUY!

* * *

"Man, this is amazing!" Pepe gushed. "I've never seen so many martial artists packed into one place, it's hardcore! I just wish Pupa could have come here as well, she'd d be really freaking out!"

"Keep yourself under control José." Lynn chastised him. "You don't want everyone to think you're a rookie or something."

Lynn simply could not understand why her teammate was getting so worked up. Yeah, some of these guys were big names in the martial arts scene, but they had yet to see what she and Billy were capable of. The Ryu Zui Ken style had more than proven its strength against top-rated opponents in the past, and it would continue to do so.

"Give me a break Lynn. Look at these guys! I've been following most of them for years! You know Terry Bogard is at this tournament as well? The Legendary Wolf himself, it's so awesome! And Tizoc! Did I ever tell you I saw his first match in Mexico City back when I was still in Middle School? I'd do anything just to meet those guys. Let them call me a rookie, I don't care!"

Billy smiled. "Well you certainly have a lot of enthusiasm Pepe, but what will happen if you have to fight one of your idols?"

"Come on Billy, have a little more faith in me then that. Don't confuse respect for nerves."

"Just saying Pepe, no matter how great these guys are, we have to be ready to take any and all of them down if it gets us answers about the Black Dragon."

"Hey is that Athena Asamiya? What a babe!" Pepe tried to get a look at the elusive pop star. She was even wearing a sailor fuku, very nice indeed Miss Asamiya.

"Why do I even bother?" Billy turned around and noticed a group of young Asian men walking around the hall looking very confused.

"He said left, right?" the boy in black and yellow clothing with a matching bandanna asked his pigtailed companion the red shirt.

"No he said left, nothing about a right. I know you have trouble with this stuff Ryoga, but try to follow me here."

"Ha ha, you know what I meant Ranma."

"You idiots! Stop the comedy routine and look for the turn." The one dressed in painted Chinese-style robes barked at the other two. His choice in clothes would be fairly notable alone, but those eyeglasses he was wearing were something else. Was he even a martial artist? Billy simply could not imagine how anyone could fight wearing those oversized specs.

"Okay Mousse… right."

"Damn you Saotome!"

Now maybe they were the competition, but Billy would be damned if he did not help them out, it was just the sporting thing to do.

"You boys need help?" he called out to them.

"Huh? You talking to me?" the pigtailed boy responded. "I'm no boy, I'm a man."

"He said boys Ranma, as in plural. You aren't the only one here you know." The bandanna boy aggressively countered. "Though I'm not a boy, I'm a man too."

"You're both borderline retarded!" Glasses scolded both of them again.

It was at this point Billy had to question just what he had gotten himself into.

"_Okay_, so what are you _men_ looking for?"

"The signup station." The pigtailed boy, or Ranma as his friends called him, answered Billy back. "Some crazy guy with a boomerang told me…"

"Us!" the other two corrected him.

"Alright, I get the picture here. Signup? You need to go about a hundred feet ahead before you make a turn to the left. You then go down that hall until you hit the station. Can't miss it."

"It's that simple?" Ranma said. Even Ryoga had a better than even chance of getting that right… or not.

"That simple."

"Billy, who are you talking to?" Lynn said as she thrust her hands to her hips. Why did he always find a way not to spend more time with her? Not that she would ever say that out loud, but this was the most time they had been spending together in months! And these kids were ruining it!

"These guys?" Billy glanced over at Ranma and company. "Yeah, who are you guys exactly anyway?"

"Well I'm Ranma Saotome of the Musabetsu Kakutou School."

"Ryoga Hibiki, a simple wanderer."

"_Mùsī_ of the _N__ǚ__jiézú_, the strongest male warrior of my generation." Mousse said as he removed his glasses dramatically.

"You can call him Mousse though, everyone else does." Ranma looked at his teammate with an annoyed glare.

"Moose?" Pepe asked, joining in on the conversation. "How did get that nickname man? You have antlers underneath all that hair or something?" He laughed.

"Was that supposed to be a joke? I can only hope for your sake that you are better at fighting than humor." The amazon put his glasses back on. "I'll remember your face for later."

"Hey man, take it easy. I'd feel real bad if I had to deck a guy with glasses."

"That's enough Pepe. " Billy got between the two teens. "I won't stand for any of that." He turned to Mousse. "Please except my apology on behalf of my friend, sometimes he can be a little insensitive."

"Very well, I accept." Mousse was impressed by the apology. As amazing as it seemed to him, some foreigners apparently did have manners.

"We dodged a bullet there." Ryoga whispered to Ranma, who nodded in agreement.

"I should formally introduce myself as well. I'm William Lewis of the Ryu Zui Ken, but you can call me Billy. The charming young lady over there is Lynn Lee Baker, who is the current head of the school. Pepe here is a friend who's helping to fill out the team."

"Your school has only two disciples?" Ranma asked.

"No, I'm currently training the next generations of disciples." Lynn said. "But with the death of my grandfather there is only one other master of the art, but he's… he's missing."

"My fool of an older brother to be precise." Billy continued on. "We're hoping that this tournament might give us some leads on where he and some other people have disappeared off to."

"Sorry to hear that. Can we help?" Ranma said. This tournament, he realized, it meant a lot of things to many different people didn't it? It wasn't just about honor and glory.

"Don't worry Ranma, we can hold our own. Maybe you'll find out for yourself during the course of the tournament… if you sign up in time."

"Crap! Sorry Billy, but we have to get going! Nice meeting you though!" Ranma nearly fell over as he realized how much time he must have already wasted. He grabbed Mousse and Ryoga by their arms and dragged them off before they could protest.

"Strange group of guys." Lynn said as she watched them depart. "They're kind of cute though in their own silly way."

"You would never guess by looking at them, but those guys are strong." Billy looked on confidently. "We better watch out for them."

"Yeah I guess so," Pepe agreed halfheartedly. "That Moosy is full of it though…" he trailed off as something caught his eye. "Woah, is that Mai Shiranui? She really does dress like that in real life! I gotta see this up close. Wait for me _mi_ _chica bella_!"

Billy and Lynn could only look on with exasperation as they watched Pepe chase after yet another nubile woman.

"Who's full of it again?" Lynn asked rhetorically.

* * *

Ranma continued to drag his team through the halls like a man possessed. It was insane, he had found the hall Billy had been talking about and was following it, but it seemed to go on for miles. After awhile there were not even any other people to be seen, as if the area had been abandoned. Had he taken a wrong turn?

"Ranma, let go of us!" Ryoga yelled, his body waving in the air. "I'm going to kick your ass if you don't!"

"Not if I don't skewer him first!" Mousse added.

"Save the threats for after we sign up. I mean do you two ever quit? _I'm doing you a favor here!_"

"Stop carrying them around you dumbass." A new voice called out. "Do you always treat your friends like ragdolls?"

"Who dares?" Ranma answered back as he came to a screeching halt. Ryoga and Mousse hit the ground hard as their momentum carried them forward.

"I… will… kill… Saotome." Mousse said weakly as he tried to collect himself. Ryoga meanwhile dusted himself off. He would save whatever words he had for Ranma (and they would be many) for later. Right now he wanted to focus on the problem at hand. He could not see who had insulted Ranma, but what worried him was that he could not _sense_ them either. It would be naïve to believe that it was because the person in question was a weakling with no battle aura.

Ranma grew impatient. "Hey, show yourself buddy. If you make a smart remark about how I treat my friends, you can at least say it to my face."

"Why should I give you any courtesy?" the voice challenged back. "Here I was in this quiet little corner trying to take a nap and you had to come stomping around like a drunken elephant. But I'll give you a break, and by that I mean if you apologize immediately and recognize your own stupidity, I won't put you into traction."

"Don't waste your time on him Yong. This thickhead couldn't see his own faults if you shoved them into his eyes." Another voice now entered the conversation. Ryoga grew even more concerned; just how many enemies had surrounded them?

The mysterious men then revealed themselves, appearing from behind one of the many pillars that lined the sides of the hall, three in all. The first was a Japanese teenager with shaggy hair dyed bright orange, and dressed casually in a blue tank top and track pants. His bearing was extremely causal, as if he felt completely at home with his surroundings, and that he feared nothing from the warriors he now confronted.

The second man was a tall Asian with a cocky sneer and slicked back hair. He was dressed in a blue and yellow outfit that roughly resembled a gi. He didn't look Japanese however, and Ranma wondered where he was from and what fighting style he represented. Something about his manner was vaguely familiar to Ranma, as if he was missing something that should have been obvious.

The final man was a strange contrast to his companions. He was slim and delicate like a woman, with a face that seemed as tranquil as a secluded mountain pond. His clothing was immediately recognizable as that of a practitioner of aikido, a fighting art known for its precision and efficiency. He stood quietly behind his more brash partners; apparently content to let them do all of the talking.

"I'm Gai Tendo, master of the Total Combat System." The redhead proclaimed proudly, as if daring anyone to claim a more impressive accomplishment. "You seem to have a problem with my buddy Yong Song here." Gai gestured to his friend in the strange blue uniform. "So I guess that means you have a problem with me too."

"There's no problem here unless you want one. I'm Ranma Saotome, of the Musabetsu Kakutou Ryu." Damn, he had been saying that a lot today hadn't he? Except this time he derived no pleasure from it.

It was a bad situation. Ranma and his friends were stuck in an isolated location with little room to maneuver and some very hostile looking fellows blocking their path. He rarely shied away from a fight, but there were the more pressing concerns, like registering for the tournament before he got disqualified.

Gai meanwhile looked over Ranma carefully. A flash of recognition entered his eyes, and then he dismissively spat at the ground as he turned to his teammates.

"I remember this guy. He's the idiot who challenged Ryo Sakazaki in Tokyo a few months back. Saw it all on a local station. Got his ass kicked pretty badly for his trouble too."

Yong Song smirked and turned to Gai. "So how did he end up here? Was there a mix-up in the mail? And who are these losers he dragged along with him?"

Ranma wasted no time responding to that.

"Hey, I already said if you got an issue with me, say it to my face." He matched Gai's scornful gaze full on.

"Yeah, you can hate on Ranma all you want, but don't knock me until you've seen me in action!" Ryoga taunted. Mousse remained silent.

"They can hate on me all they want? Whose side are you on?" Ranma looked at Ryoga incredulously.

"Alright then," Gai said as he raised his hands up in the air, "I'll say it to your face and then some. You're a loser, a two-bit kung-fu wannabe. I hate guys like you, thinking you're so special. I'd take you to the mat in less than a minute and snap your limbs off until you begged for your momma to save you."

"I'd just knock his head off with a well-timed kick." Yong Song boasted

"The rest of your team looks like garbage too." Gai continued. "Snaggletooth over there should stop shooting off his mouth. As for Four-Eyes, I wouldn't trust him to cross a street without help, let alone win a fight."

"Guys, this has gone on far enough, cut it out." The slender man pleaded, breaking his silence. "This is no way to treat rivals. We must show honor to all those with the courage to compete."

"You're too nice Tak." Gai chided. "But what the hell, you're right. These losers have enough to worry about. We're done here." With that Gai and Yong Song started to walk off. "Tak" stayed behind however.

"I apologize for my teammates. I know it looks bad, but they are both well-meaning at heart. I would not have befriended them if they were not."

"Would have never guessed it based on that meeting." Ranma said.

"I appreciate your words though, you're alright pal." Ryoga added in.

"You have no need to thank me. I look forward to seeing you compete in this tournament. I am Takato Saionji; I hope that our teams can meet in battle at some point." He bowed to Ranma, Ryoga, and Mousse in quick succession. They returned the gesture in kind.

"Geez Tak, will you hurry up!" Yong Song called out from a distance. "We're going to leave you behind man!

"Sorry!" Takato called back. He bowed one last time to Ranma's team and then took off in a hurry. They stood in silence for a moment as they pondered what had happened.

"Very interesting." Mousse finally spoke. "I understand now. This really is a whole new world. The burden is on me to show my ability. If I want any respect, I am going to have to earn it one fight at a time. It's a long road ahead… but it could be a lot of fun too." He seemed to be off in his own little world, as if floored by the concept.

"For once I agree with you." Ranma replied. As annoying and obtuse as Mousse could be, he did have those occasional flashes of insight that made him effective as a martial artist.

"We should continue on, we still need to register." Ryoga said.

"Right." They pressed onwards.

Walking forward towards his destiny, Ranma now began to grasp just how much he still had to accomplish. His training, his previous victories, they meant nothing in the greater context of things unless he was ready to put them towards greater goals. To paraphrase what Ryo had said, the farther you went, the greater the stakes became.

And there were no higher stakes for Ranma Saotome than proving the power of his art.

* * *

Just a little longer, and it would all be his. It was hard to believe that after all of his plotting, the end was at hand. But Kyo Kusanagi was within his grasp, and Ash Crimson never allowed a good opportunity to go to waste. He lounged naked in his private bathtub, letting his thoughts wander as he soaked in the water. It had been so generous of Rose to install a bath for his personal quarters, not that she had much choice in the matter.

What a wonderful sensation it was, being on the verge of absolute victory; perhaps better than victory itself. Ash wondered if it would be desirable to draw this feeling out forever, but then decided against it. Pleasure was derived from its transient nature; to take that away would make it meaningless. But what about pain? Whether it lasted only a second or an eternity, it was always undesirable. Why was it that the good things in life seemed to have far less utility than the bad things? Existence was such a detestable thing when you really thought about it.

Ah, but that was the whole point of his quest. Reality, the tenuous strands that held it together were just begging to be cut and reformed to Ash's whims, but to do that he needed power, and the Sacred Treasures of Japan could provide him with that power. They had been forged to contain and seal the Orochi, a being that lived on a plane of reality different from that of mortals. As far as Ash knew, there were no other artifacts like them left in the world, their counterparts from other cultures either destroyed or lost over the passage of centuries. He had to admit though, he liked it this way. The owners of the treasures had been an interesting bunch; he had a lot of fun toying with them.

That Kagura girl, she had been _so_ serious about her duty, it made it easy to play her for a fool. Just even give the hint that the Orochi might have been awakening from its slumber, and she was set into a panic. And the most delicious part of it had been that when her mirror was taken from her, it really did weaken the seal on the Orochi. Those who think too much about things set themselves up for failure, hopefully that was the lesson the girl had learned.

Then there had been Iori Yagami, a more difficult nut to crack, if only because he was rather unpredictable, a wild card, much like Ash himself. But even one as formidable as Iori had his weaknesses, in this case his curse. Drawn like a moth to the flame by the events of the KoF tournament, the corrupting power of the Orochi overwhelmed the heir of the Yagami once more, activating the Riot of the Blood. Under normal circumstances it would be suicide to take Iori on in that state, but Kyo Kusanagi had been there to soften Iori up first, and with the powers of the Yata mirror, Ash took possession of the second sacred treasure, the Yasakani no Magatama.

Now it was down to Kyo Kusanagi and his Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, the blade that mortally wounded the Orochi eighteen hundred years earlier, and the treasure that possessed the rawest power. With its power added to that of the other treasures and Ash's natural abilities, there would be nothing that could stop him from completing his goals for a new world made to his own desires…

"You seem to be taking it easy. Are you sure that's a good idea on the eve of battle?"

Ash nonchalantly turned his head towards his visitor and coldly smiled. "Oh Miss Botan, a proper old lady like you should know that it's impolite to spy on a young man when he is indecent." He shifted slightly. "Unless there is something you would like to see?"

Botan brushed off Ash's crude insult and matched his smile. "Such small things are of no concern to me. You on the other hand, have a lot to be concerned about. Do you know just how many people are out to kill you this time? In fact several teams were formed just for that purpose. Your actions were not as discreet as we had hoped."

"It warms my little heart to know you care so much about my actions Miss Botan, but remember I am allowed to do what I please as long as I steal the treasure, per my agreement with your superiors. Besides, if anything I'm proud my fan club has grown so quickly. They can have a front row seat to my triumph."

Such a conceited little man, Botan thought. Useful in a limited role, but his behavior was so erratic that he was a liability in her opinion. Why he was tolerated by her master she had no idea. Surely there were other people who could fill in Ash's role and cause less trouble?

"Just remember your responsibilities Ash Crimson, and do not fail us, or you will pay with more than just your life."

"Is that all? I would like to finish my bath now if that's okay with you." Ash waved his hand at her as if he was dismissing a servant. Botan sniffed dismissively at his gesture but then disappeared into one of her portals. Ash was left alone in his thoughts once more.

Kyo Kusanagi, former World Champion and heir to the Kusanagi clan traditions. What an interesting challenge it would be to break him once and for all. Ash could feel his power churning deep inside him, growing with each passing second. The water in the bath began to boil from the green flames that engulfed him, and it took a great deal of effort to control them. Part of the problem of his newly increased powers was keeping them properly in check. Again, pleasure was fleeting, pain always lurking in the background.

Existence really was detestable… but for how much longer?

* * *

The setting was… acceptable. He took a long puff from his cigar as he looked out of the apartment window towards the rest of the complex. The bright sun peaked over the back of the green valley, the buildings aligned carefully not to clash too much with its natural surroundings. Yes, acceptable was the right word. Germany had never held much affection in his heart, it reminded him too much of his damn father, but he had to give these bastards credit, they had managed to construct an impressive setting to hold a tournament.

And Geese Howard would know a thing or two about holding tournaments.

"Billy, is everything in place?" said as he cast a glance at his trusted English lieutenant.

"Yeah boss, you don't have anything to worry about." Billy Kane kneeled deeply before his employer and sensei. "We registered as soon as we arrived, before the Bogards or any of their allies even showed up. They have no idea where we are currently, or why we entered the tournament."

"Efficient as always Billy, excellent work." Geese noticed that Billy had something he wanted to say, but was holding back. "Any thoughts you want to share Billy?" he asked with his typical imperious attitude.

"Boss, I have to know something. Why did you travel here with the team? You've been evading the question for weeks now, but as your Chief of Security, I think I'm obligated to know why you've exposed yourself to so many enemies. With me entering the tournament, my ability to coordinate your protection detail will be limited. What's so important here that it needs your personal attention?"

"Billy, your concern is noted, but you don't need to know anything. Secondly," Gesse's tone turned icy cold, "_Never_ again imply that I'm incapable of defending myself without your help."

"Of course not Boss." Billy stumbled to correct himself. "But even an emperor needs his Praetorian Guard right?"

"Heh Heh, good save Billy. Quick thinking on your part." Geese's mood noticeably lightened, as if he had never been truly angry in the first place, but merely putting on an act.

Billy could not help but wonder if his boss had been testing him again. It was hard to tell with Geese. But it was that combination of cunning and menace that had propelled him to control over the most powerful criminal syndicate in the Southern United States. To assume anything Geese said or did in straight forward terms would be to invite your own demise.

"You are dismissed Billy. Rest up for the night; you have a big day tomorrow."

"As you wish Boss." Billy rose to his feet and exited the room. Geese once more stared out of the window, taking stock of his situation.

Billy had not been wrong about how dangerous this was, but nothing valuable in life was devoid of risk. Geese had learned that lesson long ago, when he had been nothing but a homeless punk trying to survive on the streets. His power, his wealth, his organization, all had been acquired by risking his life countless times, so how was this any different?

The power of the Orochi, it was finally within his reach. For so many years Geese's plans had been frustrated by one setback after another. First Terry Bogard had thwarted him when he directly entered the King of Fighters tournament to learn more about the nature of the beast, and then Kyo Kusanagi had destroyed his operation in California where he tried to create an alternate method to tap into the Orochi's energies.

After that all traces of the Orochi had disappeared, apparently sealed away by the combined efforts of Kusanagi and his rival Iori Yagami. How those two managed to put aside their hated for each other aside long enough to accomplish that, Geese had no idea, but left him enraged at the squandered opportunity. It was good fortune for those two men that they disappeared for a while after that, for Geese had been seriously considering ordering a hit on them in retribution.

But now fortune had swung in Geese's favor once more. The Orochi's power had reemerged, and not only that, someone had developed a method for safely channeling it, something that Geese's own research had at one point deemed impossible. That maniac Rugal had killed himself trying to do so, and Geese had to admit that Rugal had at one time been the strongest man in the world. But to think that the answer to Geese's problems was now in hands of someone else, it was infuriating!

No, Geese Howard always got what he wanted in the end, _always_. It may take him a while, but Geese prided himself on his patience. It was why he still reigned as a crime boss after two decades while almost all of his rivals had been wiped out. Billy's team would enter the tournament, and figure out who had organized it, because it certainly was not that silly Bernstein girl. She might very well be Rugal's daughter, but she had inherited none of his ruthless genius. Whether Billy actually won was secondary, though he had been ordered by Geese to try and eliminate as many potential threats as he could, be they the Bogards, the Sakazakis, or even Kusanagi if need be.

When the true tournament organizer showed his face, then Geese would strike. He was confident that he could wrestle the secrets of controlling the Orochi's power from whoever had created them... even if he had to throttle them within an inch of their life first. In the end, it was Geese Howard who would stand above all others, as it was always destined to be.

It would be the dawn of a glorious new age for man, and no one could stop him. Who would anyway? He was about to become a god, and even the foolhardiest of men would be apt to stand down in the face of that. Really, _who_ would stand up to him? He could not even begin to imagine what kind of fool would even try.

* * *

"So I assume you are team captain?" the elderly clerk asked Ranma.

"Of course, don't I look a leader to you?"

"Let me answer that Ranma." Ryoga said with a big mocking grin on his face.

"No, you won't."

So this was signup. Sort of anticlimactic after everything else he had gone through to get here. It was nice to be officially entered into the tournament though. There was only one problem, what they would call their team? It was optional of course, but it just did not sit well with Ranma to have his team go nameless. Of course when he had tried to name the team after himself, Ryoga and Mousse went ballistic. But what other name could he come up with?

Ranma was so deep in thought he never even noticed who was in back of him.

"You just couldn't resist playing hooky, eh kid?"

Ranma turned to find out who said that. "Whose kid is playing hooky…? Ryo!"

"Didn't I tell you to wait a few years? That's what wrong with kids today, they never listen!"

End Chapter

_Another month, another chapter. Things are going a little slower then I wanted, but it would be jarring if I simply began the tournament without establishing the scene first. I still think it's working out quite well though._

_Also, I know I have some German readers, so I have a request for them. Were those little bits of dialogue in the beginning correct? I double checked, but I'm not fluent in the language. It's not a huge detail, but I am a stickler for accuracy in so much that it improves the story._

_Which brings me too:_

_LukeShaehl__: Yes, I have to agree with what you wrote. I did not think of it at the time, but that passage was probably the most OOC section in my fic, and it needs to be corrected. I'll edit it over the next month or two. Thanks for bringing that to light. Constructive criticism really is a writer's best friend. _

_So, the next chapter is due in another three weeks, look for it. Until then, take care! _


	15. With the Old Breed

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all associated licensers. The King of Fighters and it associated series are the property of SNK-Playmore and all associated licensers. This is not a work for profit. I claim no rights to the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Continuity for Ranma is mostly derived from the manga, with some of the anime sprinkled in for good measure. Continuity for the King of Fighters is a modified form of the current story, how that is should be explained in story, but I am willing to explain for those with further questions.

Enjoy!

Chapter 15

"Ryo! You're here too!" Ranma excitedly approached the older man with a big grin on his face. "You wouldn't believe the time I had getting here."

"I'm sure you did, but I was serious about my last question. I told you that you weren't ready for KoF, that you needed a little more seasoning first. Why did you come then?" disappointment was heavy in Ryo's voice.

"Ryo… I got the invitation about two weeks after you left. How was I supposed to turn something like that down? I've got my pride too!"

"Your pride will be the death of you, kid!"

"I told you, stop calling me kid!" They were both now shouting so loudly that their voices were carrying through the vast hall.

Ryoga and Mousse, who had both gone off to the other side of the room in order to study the other competitors took notice of the new development. They remembered Ryo very well from the match at Shakujii, and were curious to learn more about the fighter who had defeated their rival so easily that time.

"You'll never learn will you? Do I have to pound another lesson into you Ranma?"

"Just try it. I won't be caught off guard this time." He shifted into a suitable fighting stance.

"No, you'll be caught on your… your…" Ryo tried to think of a good comeback. "Caught on your butt?"

The assembled fighters in the room could only think of one word that could describe Ryo's insult: Lame.

"Look people, they can't all be winners!" Ryo complained as he realized his folly. Did they have any idea just how hard it was to come up with a constant stream of witty banter? He had to work on it almost as hard as his karate!

Ryoga could scarcely believe it, this guy was the same hardened fighter who had bested Ranma in a head on fight? He seemed a little… awkward to be generous.

'I guess it's a good thing to know that even the strongest fighters can act like fools." Ryoga thought.

Mousse meanwhile almost burst out in laughter. Clearly Ranma must have been sick that day or something, losing to this stupid American jock.

"Well that killed the mood. I guess we'll have to put off the fight for another day." Ryo desperately tried to reclaim his dignity. This was supposed to be his year, damn it! Why did it always seem that he put his foot in his mouth at the worst possible time?

"Yeah, I guess so." Ranma replied, calming down a bit. "So where's Robert?"

"He's with my younger sister. After we registered, those two took off like bandits. They said it was to register a room, but I know they're going on a date too. I swear if he does anything to her, I'll…" He trailed off as he saw Ranma look at him confused. That's right; he never told Ranma that Robert and Yuri were in a relationship.

'I'm totally losing it.' He thought. 'How could this get any worse?'

"So your teammates dumped you?" Ranma said laconically.

Taking a deep breath, Ryo tried his best to not look bitter. "That's the gist of it." Something else occurred to him, something he had not noticed before in his anger. "Hey, when did you start speaking English?"

"Oh my god, he just noticed?" Mousse called out. "Is he really that stupid? Can anyone possibly be that stupid?"

"Shut up Mousse." Ranma barked at the male amazon. "I bet you that Ryo can tell the difference between a girl and a statue."

"Saotome, you swine! You promised me last week you would not bring that up with any strangers!"

"That's an odd promise." Ryo noted. What was the story behind that one? "I don't even know how that would come up in the first place."

"It just did." Mousse noted bitterly.

"I guess so. So anyway, are you one of Ranma's teammates? You seem a little… hostile."

Ranma shook his head. "You may not believe it Ryo, but these two guys are some of the strongest martial artists in Nerima after me."

"Ryoga Hibiki."

"_Mùsī _of the… no, just call me Mousse, everyone does."

"Osu, fellow warriors. I'm Ryo Sakazaki of the Kyokugen School of Karate, good to meet you guys."

"We saw your match with Ranma, Mr. Sakazaki." Ryoga said. "Your Kyokugen Karate is one of the most impressive fighting styles I've witness."

"Well if you really think that, why don't you join my dojo? You look like a strong fellow, but I bet our training can really pump you up!" Ryo flexed his arm, showing off his rock solid bicep.

"I'll think about it." Ryoga said rather nervously. He knew this guy for less than two minutes and he was already being scouted? This guy was almost as aggressive a hustler as Nabiki!

"No fair trying to recruit my teammates Ryo!" Ranma joked. "What if I tried to steal Robert or your sister for my school?"

"I'd say take them! I could use the break!" Ryo gave out a hearty laugh. "But understand this is all business. You'll understand it better when you run your own dojo. Which reminds me," He pointed to the leather jacket he had pulled over his shoulder. "This baby here is going to come in handy."

"A jacket? What's so important about that?" Ranma asked.

Ryo unfolded it for the other men to see. Emblazoned on the back was a large dragon and the words 'KYOGUGEN: CALL NOW AT 1-808-231-4726.'

"Robert gave me the idea, he said if I had some way of plugging the school during TV interviews it would draw more attention and bring in new students. So I bought this jacket and took it to a tailor for customization. I could barely afford a new pair of socks after that, but I figure it will pay itself back ten times over before this tournament is over!"

"How would anyone see it though?" Mousse looked confused. "The information is on the back of the jacket, and wouldn't you be facing towards the front during interviews?"

Ryo grew silent as those words sunk in. "Well I didn't think of that…" He looked crestfallen as he realized his folly, and sighed. At least the jacket looked cool, that had to count for something, right?

"Mr. Sakazaki, I have to ask you something." Ryoga looked at Ryo seriously. "Ranma told me you're a veteran of these tournaments. What do you think of the competitors this year?"

"Huh, good question friend, it shows me you know how big the stakes are. Well, it's a much larger group than in previous years. I've seen a lot of new blood besides you guys, but a lot of the regulars are here as well, including Kyo Kusanagi."

"So he did show up." Ranma thought back to the events of several months prior. He had never forgotten his original goal of challenging the former World Champion. Was it possible he would get his desired match so soon?

"Kusanagi went off with his teammates after the signup. He seemed out of it for some reason. Of course if I had to spend any amount of time up close with Iori Yagami I'd feel lousy too."

Ranma eagerly leaped at the opportunity to learn more about potential opponents.

"Iori Yagami? Who's that?"

"A top-flight martial artist, but totally nuts. He and Kusanagi have a lot of bad blood, but lately they've been working together. I'm out of the loop on this stuff, but I've heard someone is targeting them, so I guess they've put their differences aside for a while."

"That sort of stuff common in this tournament?"

"Yup, necessity makes for strange bedfellows. I've been lucky in that I can always count on my friends and family to back me up, but I've seen teams composed of fighters more interested in killing each other than winning any matches. It gets crazy sometimes." Ryo then seemed to notice something out of the corner of his eye.

"Alright you guys, which one of you ordered a Domino's Pizza?" he intoned sternly, leaving Ranma's team baffled. "Oh my bad, it's just Terry Bogard."

"Figures, I switch back to my old look and you're already making jokes about it." Terry Bogard cracked a smile as he walked up to his longtime rival. They shook hands and laughed.

Ranma got a good look at Terry. He was big man, taller than Ryo, with huge arms. He had long blond hair tied into simple ponytail, and he wore a red and white baseball cap on his head. His eyes were blue, a shade lighter than Ranma's own. His cloths were a mess, his jeans and jacket well-worn and battered, but he wore them with such confidence it did not matter. This was a man who did not live by the conventions of others, and yet there was a very reassuring presence to him. At any rate, Ryo clearly respected him, and that was significant in itself.

"Are you two going to stop laughing?" Andy said flatly. "It wasn't that funny a joke, brother."

"I know. I could have come up with a better joke than that!" Joe concurred.

"You're free to try anytime you want Higashi. Just like you're free to try and finally win a match against me." Ryo taunted.

"Why you son of a…"

Terry interrupted Joe before he could complete his crude statement. "Hey, cool it with the language man, we've got youngins here."

"You don't have to worry about that Terry." Ryo gestured grandly at Ranma. "I can't speak for the others, but this one here is a _real man_, he's only told me that about a dozen times."

"That so? Let me see." Terry looked over Ranma, Ryoga, and Mousse in succession. They were strong, no doubt about that. Amazing how it all these tough young warriors were popping up to challenge the older generation. The world really was a huge place, and Terry was eternally thankful for that.

"Well o—kay! I think a formal introduction is in order. As you already heard, my name is Terry. Terry Bogard. This here is my younger brother Andy, and the dude with the wild hair is…"

"You don't need to introduce me Terry. A bunch of young martial artists like these guys would know me by reputation alone."

"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" Mousse asked curtly.

"What? Give me a break! I'm Joe Higashi!"

"Never heard of you pal, sorry." Ranma said. "I'm guessing by your dress however you're a Muay Thai fighter. You guys have an impressive reputation. My dad talked a lot about your style during my training."

"_A_ Muay Thai fighter? Ha! Kid, I'm the world champion eight years running! I'm the Kickboxing King, the Satan of Martial Arts, Mr. KOF himself!" Joe went through all of his various poses (carefully crafted for maximum chick-appeal) as he spoke.

"Not so modest though." Ryoga whispered to Ranma.

"So who are you guys?" Joe asked. "We rarely get a whole new team these days."

Ranma was about to introduce himself again (for what seemed the tenth time today) when Ryo cut him off.

"You've never heard of these guys? You're in for a treat. This is the toughest gang of punks in West Tokyo. Ranma Saotome, Ryoga Hibiki, and Mousse: the Nerima Wrecking Crew!"

"Nerima Wrecking Crew? What sort of dumb name is that?" Mousse snapped. "Hibiki is the one that's always breaking things, the clumsy oaf." He could hear Ryoga growling at him, and smiled.

"It's got a good ring to it though." Terry said cheerfully. "You guys should run with it. Ryo does have a good idea every once in a while."

"More like once a year."

Ryo looked at Joe crossly. "Cram it Higashi, your act got old a decade ago." He scratched his head as he tried to remember something. "There was something else I wanted to bring up… what was it now? Oh yeah, congratulations on getting engaged Andy."

"You knew?" Andy looked nervous.

"You know my sister is a friend of Mai, and far be it for either of those girls to keep a secret on anything."

"She… she will be the death of me." Andy glumly said. "It was hard enough to get away from her in the reception area. God help me if I have to fight her in a match."

Ranma shook his head in sympathy. "If it's any conciliation, I know how you feel."

"I thank you Mr. Saotome, but I believe you are a little too young to understand the seriousness of marriage."

"Oh yeah… of course." The pigtailed boy fumbled to correct himself. "Why would I know anything about marriage? I'm just a happy-go-lucky high school student." He laughed weakly.

Mousse got a wicked look in his eyes. "Don't be so modest Saotome, why don't you share all of your… Ouch!" he was interrupted by a swift backhand from Ryoga.

"Sorry you had to see that. He may be my teammate, but sometimes he needs to be put in his place."

"Don't worry about it. Sometimes Andy and I feel that way about Joe." Terry smirked. He could tell these kids were a little rough around the edges, but there was a strong bond between them. They would back each other up when it really counted.

"Brother, as long as we are here, I think we should tell Ryo what we learned."

"Learned what?" Ryo asked.

Terry's spoke ominously. "Ryo, Geese is here at the tournament. He's formed another team to fight on his behalf. Eiji is one the members."

"Damn, that guy again? I thought he might crawl off somewhere for a decade or two after the last tournament."

"Friend of your Ryo?" Ranma asked sarcastically. Guess it was to be expected that someone like Ryo would have multiple rivals; it was the mark of an accomplished martial artist.

"More like a nightmare. Nah, I'm giving Eiji too much credit. He's just a bitter ninja with too much time on his hands, a pest."

"Ninjas can be annoying." Ranma agreed. All of the other men agreed with him, save one.

'These guys do realize _I am a _ninja?' Andy thought as his mood turned even gloomier. So much for his glorious return to KoF!

Terry sensed his younger brother's distress. "Don't get yourself down little bro." he patted Andy on the back. "You and Mai are okay in my book… even if you are pesky ninjas!" he started laughing again.

Andy was hardly assured by his older brother's gesture.

"Hey Terry, thanks for the info." Ryo said as he shook his rival's hand. "And if you need any help with Geese, I'm in. You know that I have history with him, and I'd love to cave in that ugly mug of his."

"I'll consider it. Just be careful Ryo, wouldn't want to get messed up before we meet again!"

"Me lose? Not happening this year! I'm going straight to the championships."

"Are you forgetting something Ryo?" Ranma butted in. "That championship is mine!"

"Right, don't mind me Ranma." Ryoga said as he started to get angry. "It's not like I have any part of this."

The situation quickly began to deteriorate into complete chaos.

"Woah, woah, woah. Time out here guys." Terry even crossed his hands into a t-shape to emphasize his point. "It's good to be confident, but let's not forget that this is a contest before all else. We may end up fighting each other, but we should at least be good sports about it. That's the core of martial arts right?"

"I guess you're right Terry." Ryo conceded. Bogard, he always made things seem so easy! And the worst part was he was so damn likeable too. It just wasn't fair!

Ranma and Ryoga calmed down as well, though they were caught off guard. They were not used to an adult actually taking charge of a situation and diffusing tensions rather than exacerbating them. Mousse was not so impressed however. To him Terry was as corny as Ryo was stupid, and his easy-going manners and self-confidence were off putting. These Americans, what made them think they were so great? Why they were nothing but a bunch of cocky upstarts compared to the ancient traditions of the Chinese Amazons!

"Oh, there you guys are!" a new voice called out. "Forming your own little club are you?"

"Yo Kim! You made it here too!" Terry beckoned the man over.

"You sure this is a good idea Terry?" Ryo asked cautiously. "I thought you wanted to calm things down here."

"Don't worry about it. I never understood why you and Kim never get along. You're both martial arts instructors, you're both good guys, you have a lot of other common interests as well. What the problem?"

"Ha ha! What a sundry group we have here!" Kim said as he flashed a million-dollar smile to his friends. "And what would you all be discussing? Hopefully something that promotes the cause of Justice!"

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Ryo whispered to Terry.

"So where's your team Kim?" Andy asked. "Or maybe the better question is who did you pick this year?"

"I brought along Chae Lim and May Lee, I figured those two needed to break out of their training routines before they got rusty. As to their current whereabouts, I asked them to go on ahead to our living quarters. I figured they could both use a rest after our long trip. A master must watch out for the welfare of his pupils. Am I right Sakazaki?" Kim shot a knowing look at Ryo.

"Oh, I know Kim. _I just don't feel like stating it aloud to everyone I meet._"

"So what kind of martial arts do you practice Mr. Kim?" Ryoga asked.

"I'm glad you asked young man. I, Kim Kaphwan, practice the strongest fighting style in the world! The noble and just art of Tae Kwan Do!"

Ranma considered this new information carefully. Tae Kwan Do, the national sport of Korea, and a style based around powerful kicks that could be used for both offensive and defensive purposes. Another style he had never actually faced in real combat, although Musabetsu Kakutou apparently borrowed a number of its principles.

Something else came into his mind as well. Yong Song, one of the martial artists he met earlier, must be a practitioner of Tae Kwan Do as well. He dressed and carried himself in a manner very similar to Kim's. That must have been why he had felt there was something so familiar about the guy!

"Kim here is the world champion in Tae Kwan Do." Terry explained. "Just like Joe is the champion of Muay Thai."

"Yes, I am a champion." Kim said as he tried to downplay his accomplishments. "But that title means little in the bigger picture. For you see, the true nature of Tae Kwan Do, the essence of its power, lies beyond mere accolades." He turned to face Ranma's group.

Kim then looked directly in their eyes, as if searching for something.

"Yes, I can see it, you all posses great strength. Very impressive for ones so young, but now I must ask you all a question." Kim began to get a very odd look on his face.

"Yes?" Ranma was now rather wary of the Korean.

"Do you believe in Justice?"

"Of course I do!" Ranma replied instinctually. "Every true martial artist does!"

"That's right!" Ryoga agreed.

"If that's what you want to believe." Mousse muttered under his breath.

"Excellent!" Kim screamed at the top of his lungs, nearly blowing out the eardrums of everyone within a five meter radius of him. "A group of strong young warriors who believe in Justice! What a wonderful thing it is!" His eyes began to sparkle.

"Oh god, he's not going to start lecturing us, is he?" Ryo said. "He's your friend Bogard, can't you do something?"

"Sorry Ryo," Terry said as he adjusted the brim of his cap over his eyes. "Kim's sorta like a force of nature: you can try and live in harmony with it, but never fully control it."

Kim meanwhile had begun to explain to his new friends the "finer" points of justice.

"…That is why we must be ever diligent, young friends, for the forces of Evil are themselves ever present in our lives, just waiting to pounce on us like… like… vicious Evil things! For example, do you know the ten simple signs of whether something is Evil or not? I can give you a pamphlet on it if you do not." Kim began to reach into his shirt.

"Ah, no thanks Mr. Kim, I can tell when something is evil when I see it, honest." Ranma desperately wanted to get himself out of this conversation as quickly as possible.

"Do you have the sense as well then? Tell me, do your eyes glow in the presence of Injustice?"

"Stop bothering them Kim." Terry chided his friend. "I think Ranma and his buddies have learned enough from you for today. A good teacher doesn't overwork his students, right?"

"I guess you are right old chum." Kim said, finally relenting. "Very well then, I put my faith in these boys to uphold Justice."

"Uh, thanks?" Ranma really did not know what to say by this point. He just hoped that Terry had meant Kim was his teacher in a figurative sense. He had enough crazies trying to adopt him into their schools as it was, and Kim was one of the craziest he had met yet.

"I will be watching you very carefully during the tournament gentlemen. I look forward to seeing the full power of your Justice. Perhaps we might even compete against one another. Until then, stay strong against Evil!" Kim took off in a hurry, leaving everyone else very confused.

"Well at least it was over quickly." Joe said as he idly adjusted his trunks. "Kim could have gone into full 'Champion of Justice' mode on us. We would have been standing here for hours!"

"Yeah, now we can just shoot the breeze for a while." Terry smiled. "So new guys, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourselves?"

"Where would we even begin?" Ryoga asked, feeling a little overwhelmed by the prospect of talking about his life. He was amazed someone he just met would even care about that stuff.

"I've got a story for you." Ranma said. "One of my more recent adventures. In fact, it's sort of how my team was formed in the first place."

"Sounds good to me." Terry said enthusiastically. "Let's hear it!"

"It all started when this 'girl' showed up in Nerima, and beat the crap out of Mousse…"

As Ranma heard Mousse audibly gasp in outrage, he knew he had chosen the right story for an introduction to his life…

* * *

Colonel Ralf Jones looked over his surroundings very carefully. The complex looked peaceful enough, but looks were often deceiving. In fact when it came to the King of Fighters Tournament, the more normal things outwardly appeared, the more likely it was that something really bad was about to go down.

"You feel it too, eh Ralf?" Clark commented. Leona was standing off to the side, coolly observing the passage of various people through the room.

"I just wish I knew where these bastards are hiding. It was the same thing last time too, and that's why we ended up getting blindsided." Ralf carefully tapped on a small device attached on his ear. "Hey Maxima, you having any luck on your end?"

"Sorry Ralf, I've got nothing." The other man responded over the wireless line. "I see plenty of unfamiliar faces, but I don't think they are connected to our targets. My partners here aren't very keen on doing much searching right now either."

"Keep looking, and keep those damn kids under control while you're at it. I don't need the brats screwing things up by making a big scene."

Maxima scoffed. "K' is too smart for that, give him more credit. And this is not a babysitting service I'm running here. We're doing our best Ralf, but this is not a normal operation by any means."

"Tell me about it. Talk to you later big man, Ralf out." He turned to Clark. "What do you suggest we do, buddy?"

The blond man smirked, and removed his sunglasses for a moment.

"If you really want to know, I say we wait it out. We're wasting way too much time trying to solve this before the tournament even officially starts. You and I have enough experience to know that when the bad guy is ready to unveil his big plan, he won't do it subtly. Let him put the cards on the table first, surrender his initiative. Then when he thinks he's won, 'Pow!' we strike." Clark pounded his left hand into right for emphasis.

Ralf stroked his chin thoughtfully as he considered the advice. Maybe he had been over thinking this. For all of their supposed cunning and vast powers, the syndicate members had been going forward with their plans in a remarkably inefficient manner. If he just gave them enough rope, they might end up hanging themselves in the process.

As her commander considered his options, Leona continued to observe things. There was something _very_ unsettling about this place. There was a supernatural presence around her. It was not the Orochi power, she would have identified that right away, but it was comparable. She worried if it would have an effect on her powers, causing them to go haywire again. Colonel Jones and Lieutenant Steel had been nearly killed the last time that happened.

No, she had made a vow never to succumb to the Riot of the Blood ever again. Too many lives depended on it, the mission depended on it.

"I sense a great darkness within you."

By instinct, Leona prepared to strike the person who had managed to catch her off guard. How could she have let herself become so distracted by her doubts and fears again? Only the thought of endangering her team's mission stopped her before she attacked. The young soldier focused her glare on the unwelcomed stranger before her.

"You have a great darkness within you, Miss." The stranger stated once again, empathy deep embedded in her voice. "Have you been dealing with it you entire life? How sad."

Leona silently cursed at her lack of discipline. If she was letting someone like this get the drop on her, she needed more training. A girl, it was a stupid girl, so delicately built, she was almost doll-like in appearance, dressed in some odd white and red clothing.

"Is this the power that defies Mother Nature?" the girl continued.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Leona said calmly but firmly. "Identify yourself, before I am forced to mark you as an enemy."

"I do not want to fight." The little girl said. "I am merely surprised to meet someone who has the power of Orochi flowing through them and yet resists it. You are strong, be proud of that."

Leona's eyes widened in shock as she realized the girl knew her secret.

"How could you possibly know that about me? I'll only say it one more time, identify yourself!" she was rapidly losing control of her feelings. For the first time in months, Leona felt fear flow into her.

"Please, do not be afraid." The other girl pleaded. "I didn't mean to scare you!"

"Leona!" Clark shouted. "You okay over there, what's wrong?"

"Lieutenant, I…" Leona turned her head away from the girl for the briefest of moments to respond. She noticed that in that split second, the girl seemed to melt out of view. By the time Leona refocused on where she had been standing, the stranger was missing without a trace of ever having been there.

Ralf and Clark ran over to the side of their comrade, their concern for her wellbeing evident on their faces.

"What was going on here Leona?" Ralf asked, "What did you see?"

"It's _who_ I saw Colonel; someone that should not have been here, but was." Leona struggled to regain her composer.

"One of 'them' you think?" Clark asked.

"No, I have no idea who she works for, but she knows things that only a handful of people outside our unit would."

"Damn, that's really bad. What's her angle?" Clark instinctively wiped his sunglasses to ease his thoughts. Guys like Kusanagi and Yagami were known quantities that could be trusted to keep their silence regarding the existence of the Orochi and other mystical beings, but if there was someone else who was aware of this stuff, someone whose allegiance and motives were unclear, that made things a lot more difficult.

"That's the thing about battles, there's always factors you can't predict that complicate your plans." Ralf took a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it up. "You may be right about us having to wait on things Clark, but that sure as hell doesn't make me feel any better about this."

The Ikari stood silently as they wondered what to do next.

* * *

What had gone wrong? Why had that woman been so afraid of her? Clearly she had messed up badly.

"You should never have approached her like that, scared the poor girl half to death."

"Mr. Oogami."

Reiji lounged himself up against the wall. Sokaku was seated on the ground near him, deep within a meditative state. Clearly he was not going to enter this conversation on one side or the other.

The red-haired mystic sighed. Why did he always get stuck with explaining these things? Was it because he was a dad? Well the 'girl' in front of him was twice as old as his great-grandmother! Yet here he was playing the father-figure to this powerful nature spirit. It would make for a good story one of these days, even if his daughter did not believe a single bit of it.

"Nakoruru, look, you've been gone for a while. The world is a very different place then it was two centuries ago…"

"It's not as different as you think Mr. Oogami. There is still evil in the world, and there are people who are willing to risk their lives to fight it. That girl… she's a kindred spirit."

Reiji sighed in frustration. Could Nakoruru really be that naïve?

"She's a mercenary, and extremely dangerous. Her unit investigates mysterious phenomena on behalf of governments who don't want to get their hands dirty. If they ever discovered your true nature, I don't know what they'd do. They might try to capture you for study, and by study, I mean they would cut you up."

"As I said, sounds a lot like when I was growing up."

"You are stubborn." Reiji sighed again. "I pity anyone that has to fight you."

"Fighting is a necessary evil." Nakoruru said. "That much has not changed either."

"I think the girl has you outmatched Oogami." Sokaku said as he joined the conversation.

"You were listening the whole time weren't you Mochizuki? 'Mediating with the spirits' my foot! You hung me out to dry! Damn, with friends like you, who needs enemies?"

Nakoruru giggled. "It's nice isn't it? I mean to be able to enjoy a rare moment of peace."

"I can agree with that. Still, there won't be much peace left in this world if we don't stop Ash Crimson. We can't forget our task for a second." Reiji's expression grew distant as he thought about the monumental task before him.

He was not even sure if he was up to it. Compared to the other competitors, many of whom were former or current champions, he was nobody. Reiji was well trained in his clan's unique style of hand-to-hand combat, and he could rely on his mystical powers, but he was not a seasoned prize fighter by a long shot. And Ash Crimson was so powerful he had been able to overwhelm Chizuru like it was nothing. What was he supposed to do against that?

"Mr. Oogami, are you okay?" Nakoruru asked.

"Yeah, just spaced out there for a moment; got lost in my thoughts."

"There is nothing to worry about. Do you know how many times in the past the world has been on the brink of disaster?'

"Do I really want to know the answer to that?"

"You are correct. It does not matter, because you know what Mr. Oogami? The world is still here. No matter what the forces of evil try, they always fail. That is because there will always be good people who will stand up and do what is right. You are one of those people Mr. Oogami, and you will do what is needed when the time comes, just like the rest of us."

'Well look at that,' Reiji thought. 'Here I was giving this girl a lecture and she turns it around on me!' Mochizuki was right; he was completely outmatched by this girl. How much had she seen in her time? What hardships had she gone though to get that wisdom?

"Thank you Nakoruru. As far as I'm concerned, you're one of the 'good people' too. I just wish you could have joined us under better circumstances, and get a better deal out of it."

"It's best not to dwell on it." Ever so slightly her expression betrayed her inner sadness. "You have nothing to apologize for."

"No more of this talk." Sokaku thundered. "You two think far too much, and let yourselves become dragged down by it. The day of battle draws near, our mission is close at hand."

"I guess we should get our priorities straight." Reiji took out the Hetsu mirror. "We position ourselves to fight Ash's team, and then we take him out. Capture him if possible, but if not…"

Nakoruru and Sokaku silently acknowledged Reiji's order. It was a simple gesture, but one with tremendous implications. The mystics would do whatever it took to preserve the natural order, even if it meant death.

'What have I gotten myself into?' was all Reiji could think of once again.

* * *

"Oh man, you sucked him up into a tornado?"

"Yup, that put him down once and for all."

"Wild stuff." Terry said bemusedly. He had to admit, that was one heck of a story Ranma told. Even if only a fraction of it was true, this kid had accomplished a lot in his brief life.

"And don't forget that we helped you Ranma!" Ryoga eagerly added in.

"How could he Hibiki? You only reminded him every minute or so." Mousse said sourly.

"Wait, so was this Herb guy really a chick or a man? You lost me on that one." Joe asked.

"He was a guy Higashi. Geez, that's all you cared about?" Ryo complained.

"Well if he was really a funky dragon chick, I figured I'd head over to China and…"

"Sick, don't even finish that sentence."

"That curse of his is quite something though." Andy commented. "I've encountered my fair share of magic, but that takes the cake; a kettle that can turn people into the opposite gender, what a horrible device!"

"Oh yeah, it's horrible." Ranma said nervously, hoping his white lie would hold up. "Good thing me and my friends don't have those curses, because that would be bad. Because just to be clear I don't have a curse, and I mean never."

"So how did that curse work again?"

"Joe! Get with the program." Andy chastised the kickboxer.

"What? This is confusing stuff!"

Ryo meanwhile was occupied with other thoughts. The Hiryu Shoten Ha, what a technique! It sounded like it exceeded anything in his current arsenal, even the perfected Ryuuko Ranbu. His dad's Haoh Shi Kouken or Kyokugen Kuzure Geki could probably defeat it, but still. If that had been the attack Ranma tried to pull on him during their fight at Shakujii Park, Ryo conceded he had been lucky to hit Ranma out of it; he would have never been able to take the full force of such an attack.

Ranma was a far more serious rival than he could have ever imagined. If he ever did want to become the grandmaster of the Kyokugen style, Ryo would have to be able to come up with a move that could at least match that sort of power. He had been working on a new technique that might be the answer, but it was not tested, and would be risky to pull out in a fight.

"I don't think I can top a story like that. I think it's getting late anyway." Terry said. "It's time for me to turn in."

"You serious Terry?" Joe looked surprised. "It's not even seven o'clock yet! The night's still young!"

"It is odd of you brother." Andy agreed.

"Don't worry about it you two, do what you want. I'll see you all at the starting ceremony tomorrow morning." Terry turned towards Ranma's team and took off his cap in a gesture of respect. "Pleasure meeting you guys. Have a good night."

Terry started to walk away, but stopped to get in one last word. "Hey Ryo, one more thing. I was talking to Robert earlier and… don't worry man, you meet Sailor Moon one of these days!"

"I swear to God, I'm going to kill Robert." Ryo said as he fumed.

"Oh you got burned Sakazaki!" Joe said excitedly. "What, you like the schoolgirls? You're a wilder man than I thought! I wonder how King feels about that."

"Lay off of him Joe, it's all good fun." Terry said as he started walking again. "Good night all!"

"I think I will go off to meditate, clear my mind." Andy said as he too walked off. "Joe, I'll meet up with you later."

"What, you're leaving me all alone here with Sakazaki and the kids? Come on Andy-boy, give me a break. Besides, who's going to run defense for you if you run into Mai?" Joe took off after Andy.

"Wow, what was that all about?" Ranma asked.

"I know. It was like a non-stop parade of craziness. Did we even leave Nerima? I can't tell at this point." Ryoga commented. "And no Mousse, you don't get to make a joke about that."

"Darn, I don't how I'll ever cope with the loss."

"I warned you guys it gets crazy around here." Ryo relaxed. "But you should be proud, getting a compliment from a former World Champion like Terry."

"Another champion? You mean like Kusanagi?" Terry had seemed tough, but Ranma was amazed that such a peaceful, happy-go lucky fellow was once the top-ranked fighter in the world.

"Yup, that's the genuine article right there. He was the champion before Kusanagi, and still a strong contender for the title. Of course I can take him… most of the time."

"Is that so? Then why have you never won the tournament?" Mousse said as he sniffed distastefully.

"Well that's simple… I have crappy luck."

"That's your excuse?" Mousse looked exasperated.

"It's all true though. I was invited to the first global King of Fighters tournament, but was already entered in the North American Championships. After the current team-based format started, I always ended up either fighting Terry to a draw or something weird would happen that would cause the tournament to be interrupted before a champion could be declared."

"That's still a poor excuse. A true warrior overcomes all obstacles no matter how impossible they may seem."

"Which would explain your long string of victories against me, right Mousse?" Ranma asked sarcastically.

"You will see Ranma Saotome, you will see with your own eyes…"

"Yeah, yeah, I see things duck-boy. You don't have to get all jealous about it."

Ryo looked upon the squabble with no little sense of bemusement. "You guys sure you aren't one of those teams more concerned about killing each other than winning?" He noticed that Ranma had become noticeably tense. "What's up? You don't actually hate each other that much?"

"Someone is approaching, and he's looking for a fight." Ranma gritted his teeth. This was an intense battle aura, and it was clearly directed at him. The person clearly harbored tremendous hatred for him, but who could it be? Had one of his old rivals tracked him to Germany for revenge?

He could then see it. Someone was running straight at him from the other side of the hall. Ranma could not recognize him, but whoever this guy was, he was a threat.

"Da na na! Shingo Yabuki enters the scene!" the new challenger jumped in front of Ranma with remarkable speed. Ranma quickly took a step back in order to stay out of Shingo's reach. Shingo stopped for a moment. He glared at Ranma, and then pointed his figure at him.

"You're… you're Ran… ma…"

"Yes?"

"Can you… let me… catch my breath for… a minute? I got winded… running over here."

After he picked himself off the floor, Ranma appraised Shingo more carefully. He was a strange looking kid. Well, kid might not have been the best word to use. He was probably older than Ranma; taller too. But he carried himself in an exceedingly childish manner, like he was forever bursting with the energy of a hyperactive ten-year old. He was gangly, and dressed up in some sort of schoolboy's outfit. In a strange way he sort of reminded Ranma of Daisuke, although he could not even begin to understand why.

"I knew it, I knew it! You really are Ranma Saotome!" Shingo screamed, now fully recovered. "You challenged Master Kyo at that news conference. I saw it on TV!"

"What's it to you?"

"Ranma Saotome… I challenge you! Right here, right now!" Shingo entered his battle stance

"You fool, there's no fighting allowed in here!" Ryoga countered "You want to get yourself disqualified?"

"This is about the honor of Master Kyo! I don't care what happens to me! I can't let such an insult stand!"

"It's a matter of honor?" Ranma had to admit he was now hard-pressed. Provided Shingo was not full of it, then this was a serious matter.

"I'm a disciple of the Kusanagi School of martial arts, trained by Kyo and his father Saisyu Kusanagi. I've committed myself to defending their traditions and honor even at the cost of my own life. You can understand that much, can't you Ranma Saotome?"

Ryo knew this was a bad situation. Who knew that the incident in Odaiba would lead to this confrontation months later? He knew Shingo was a good kid, trying to do what he thought was best for his idol Kyo, but this a crappy way of trying to address things.

"Yabuki! Get a hold of yourself man." He pleaded. "Do you think this is going to resolve anything? I was there when Ranma challenged Kyo, and the whole thing was squared away. Everyone's honor is intact, and Kyo has moved on. Back down and clear out your head before you do something you regret."

Shingo took a deep breath. "Mr. Sakazaki, you know I respect you and your opinions very much, but in this case I can't go back. Because of me… because of me…" Shingo was losing it, tears starting to flow down his cheeks.

"What is wrong with this guy?" Mousse asked. "He looks unbalanced to me. Walk away from this Saotome; even you are above dealing with such a pathetic wretch."

"Damn it Mousse, will you shut your mouth and try to be a decent person for once in your life!" Ranma snapped back at the amazon. There was clearly more to this then Shingo was letting on. Ranma was no fool; he knew this was not just about his challenge to Kyo, ill-advised as it was. He had no intention of making the situation worse if he could help it.

Shingo regained his composure. "So Mr. Saotome, are you going to accept my challenge?"

"I would prefer not to. I don't pretend to know you, but I can tell you're not at your best. It would be dishonorable to fight you in your current condition."

"Don't patronize me! I'm… I'm…" Shingo started to lose it once more. He clenched his fists and prepared to charge at Ranma, and the other man prepared to defend himself…

"Cut it out!" with a sudden jolt, Shingo was sent to the floor. Ranma could see standing over Shingo was a young Japanese girl dressed in the cloths of an Aikido practitioner, very similar to that of Takato's, her long blue hair tied up in a pony tail. She had a very severe expression on her face, like that of a schoolteacher disciplining an errant student.

"Oh no, not her!" Ryo looked upon the girl with great anxiety. Of all the people he could have run into today, why did it have to be Kasumi Todoh? What was she even doing here anyway? She had showed up at the last tournament with Eiji and some other weird girl, but they got knocked out of contention early. Why could it not be like the old days where his rivals always disappeared after getting beaten?

"You idiot, stop messing around!" Kasumi scolded Shingo by pointing her finger at him. "Do you want to mess this up for Mr. Daimon and I?"

"Easy there Kasumi." Daimon stepped over to her and rested his huge hand on her shoulder. She looked almost like a child in comparison to his massive frame. "Shingo is going through a difficult situation. Have some compassion for your teammate."

"Mr. Daimon, I don't think you understand. When dealing with Yabuki, you always have to beat the message into him. He just doesn't learn any other way!"

Great, Ranma thought, this one thinks just like Akane does. No wonder this Shingo guy was at his wit's end, spending his time with a girl like that!

Kasumi suddenly glared over at Ranma. "Did you say something Mr. Pigtail?"

"Uh no, didn't say nothing Miss." He began to sweat heavily. It looked liked Shingo had it even worse than Ranma ever could have imagined!

"You see now why she's so scary? It's beyond rational explanation!" Ryo said to his younger companion.

Daimon was still looking at Shingo sulking on the floor. His features softened as he reflected on how things had gotten to this point. He had warned Kyo about this, that not explaining things to Shingo would only leave him confused and hurt. It had now become Daimon's responsibility to see things righted. He took in a deep breath before his spoke.

"Shingo, I am going to tell you something. I have to tell you it because Kyo did not want to, and that was a mistake on his part. You have nothing to be ashamed of, Shingo. You did all that you could at the time, you even went beyond that at the risk of your own life. What happened at the last tournament was beyond your control, and you need to accept that. If you cannot, then you will never be able to grow into the fighter you wish to become."

"Mr. Daimon." Shingo sobbed. "I'm sorry. I messed up again."

"It's okay Yabuki, you have us to back you up!" Kasumi cheerfully extended her hand to help him up. Daimon smiled, it had been a good idea to bring these two together, if rather unorthodox.

"That's an odd team if I've ever seen one." Ryo said in astonishment. Unfortunately for him, this attracted Kasumi's attention.

"Don't think for a moment that I have forgotten about you Ryo Sakazaki!" She wagged her finger at him. "This time around, the Todoh School is going to prove its superiority over Kyokugen Karate once and for all! My father's honor will be avenged! Oh ho ho ho ho ho!" Kasumi gave off the traditional Japanese noblewoman's laugh.

"Oh brother." Ryo moaned. He really did have lousy luck.

"She's not bad at it." Ranma mused. "Got nothing on Kodachi though."

"Lucky for us." Ryoga said.

"I apologize for any trouble these two have caused you." Daimon bowed deeply towards Ranma in turn. Ranma was simply amazed that even when bowing, Daimon almost came up to his face. The man was truly gigantic, and yet so even-tempered. What kind of opponent would he make?

"Shingo, Kasumi, let's go." Daimon spoke in the tone of a stern parent, finely honed after years of dealing with the antics of Kyo and Benimaru and his own young son.

"Alright, I've had my fill of this." Ryoga said, looking thoroughly exhausted. "Fighting these people can't be half as exhausting as trying to hold a conversation with them."

Ranma was willing to admit his friend had a point. "I guess we should check up on Akane and Kasumi, see if they're settled in."

"What about Nabiki?"

"Yeah, you're right. Hopefully she hasn't racked up a huge bill on our tab or something. It won't matter how much prize money we win if she gets out of control."

"Not quite what I was getting at Ranma." Ryoga deadpanned.

Mousse smiled coldly. "You two can waste your time on that. I'll go and see if my beloved Shampoo has arrived yet." He shot off in a frenzy of passion.

"What a loon. Hey Ryo, we'll see you in the morning." Ranma smiled at the Kyokugen master and went to shake his hand.

"You bet, kid." Ryo took Ranma's hand in a hearty shake. "Have a good night guys… you're gonna need it."

As he watched Ranma and Ryoga go off, Ryo could only admire them. These boys, they handled the stress of the tournament so well, despite their lack of experience and the tremendous odds arrayed against them. They would go far… someday. But this was his year, and his team was going straight to the top.

"My team!" Ryo cried out loud. Yuri and Robert, where had they been all this time? _What had they been doing all this time?_ He had to find them!

"Dad is going to kill me if something happens to her!" he said as he rushed off as fast as he could.

* * *

"You sure you want to put this off Marco?"

"No choice Chicken-man. I couldn't just barge into the middle of a conversation like that. Master Ryo was having far too good a time."

"Think of what a good time I could have brought them." Jenet said flirtatiously.

"No, no, young Miss Jenet! You can't do that! You're a good person, and I just can't allow you to corrupt the morals of today's youth!"

"Give it a break Tizoc baby, I was just kidding." She pouted. Tizoc was a good guy to have in your corner, but his goody-two-shoes attitude could get annoying at times.

"Master Ryo is going to find out at the opening ceremony anyway. We can put it off for a little while." Marco lowered his head. It was going to be hard no matter what the circumstances were.

"If you insist my friend, but remember this. Tizoc, the Griffon Mask, is here to back you up no matter how arduous things may seem!" he lifted his arms dramatically, flexing their enormous muscles. "Can you feel it Marco? Is my strength buoying you sprits?"

"No, now I feel worse."

"I'm not feeling it either Tizoc-baby." Jenet cringed. She liked strong men, but this? Not exactly her cup of tea.

"It's not working? The situation is desperate then, I must try harder! Mighty pectorals, give it your all!"

"Noooooooooooo!" Marco and Jenet called out in unison… but it was far too late.

* * *

The young man watched intently from the shadows. What a stroke of luck it had been for that idiot Yabuki to come along at the last moment and throw Saotome's senses off. The shock of seeing Ranma had caused him to momentarily lose control of his calm and spike his battle aura, but it was not time to reveal himself, no not yet.

"Thanks for covering up my presence… fool!" he whispered harshly.

How strange it all was. How had Ranma Saotome found his way to the tournament? Best not to think too hard about it, for it mattered little in the end. This was turning out to be far better than he could have ever hoped for. Saotome had even brought the Hibiki boy and that blind idiot with him. He would gain revenge against them as well, and it would be sweet.

This would be the dawn of a new era in his life. His enemies would be crushed, and his fortune and reputation would rise after all of the years of humiliation piled upon him. The other fighters had no idea just what they were up against. They would be crushed, one after the other, like so much rotten fruit. After that display of power, no one would dare mock him ever again… even if he was cursed with a name like Pantyhose Taro.

End Chapter

_Ah, summer is in the air. No rest for the weary though, I soldier on. This was tough chapter due to the sheer amount of characters and dialogue involved. You try your best to keep everyone in character, and pray people like it._

_This chapter was another milestone for me. It was during this chapter that the story hit one hundred thousand words. I'm talking about the main body of the text, not the footnotes like these._

_I'm still cleaning up some of the earlier chapters. You know, you can spend hours proof-reading your work but even then some errors slip in. I still have to rewrite that passage in Chapter 13 as well. I've done a little bit of it, but it will be done eventually. I also love the fact that screwed up the formating on this fic, forcing me to go back and edit each chapter again. Still, with each passing week I make more and more progress. It's crazy just how far this story has gone in less than a year!_

_By the way, Ranma thought Shingo was like Daisuke because they both have the same Japanese Voice Actor (Takehito Koyasu). If you know anything about Koyasu, you know how against type roles like Daisuke and Shingo are for him._

_Another thing you might be interested in. Ryo's jacket was not something I just came up with, it's 100% canon. See for yourself._

_www. fighters generation. com/ characters3/ ryo- sakazaki- sketch- aof3 .jpg_

_Anyway, I should respond to one of the reviews I received last time, as I feel it was very relevant._

_Fionn the Otaku: You made some interesting suggestions about how Ranma and company should fight. I am definitely going to take that into consideration. The fights themselves however may go a little differently than you might expect. I plan to start the action in the next two chapters, so you can see for yourself how it all works out._

_Next chapter comes in three weeks. For everyone who's held out for so long as I develop this thing, thanks for your patience. I know waiting for months on end can get frustrating when you want to get to the good stuff, but these things need to be developed properly. However, like I said above, your wait is about to end. _

_A special thank you also goes out to Jeschura for correcting my German._

_Until next time, take care!_


	16. Opening Day

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all associated licensers. The King of Fighters and it associated series are the property of SNK-Playmore and all associated licensers. This is not a work for profit. I claim no rights to the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Continuity for Ranma is mostly derived from the manga, with some of the anime sprinkled in for good measure. Continuity for the King of Fighters is a modified form of the current story, how that is should be explained in story, but I am willing to explain for those with further questions.

Enjoy!

Chapter 16

"Okonomiyaki! Get your okonomiyaki here!"

Ukyo carefully scooped another one of her masterful creations off the grill. She had been cooking all morning. Her plan of setting up a small concession stand had worked out rather well, except for one minor detail: no one was buying a thing!

She watched carefully as a couple walked by. They took a curious glance at her stand. Would this finally be her chance for a sale?

"Okonomiyaki?" Ukyo said in her sweetest sounding voice, waving the dish in their direction. How she wished she could actually hawk her goods in English. That's what Ranchan had been studying, right? But why would you speak English in Germany and… this was not a productive line of thought!

"_Das ist aber ein lustiges Wort._" the woman cooed. "_Was ist das wohl für ein Gericht? Denkst du es schmeckt?_"

"_Keine Ahnung, aber ich werde es auf keinen Fall probieren. Das Zeug sieht aus, als ob es mich krank machen wird. Genau wie das vietmanesische Essen damals._" the gentleman seemed to turn green as he remembered something.

'Come on Ukyo, you can do this!' she thought to herself. She pushed the dish towards the couple and smiled. They looked as if they were about to walk off however.

"Young lady, I will try some of that okonomiyaki." A deep voice suddenly called to her in Japanese.

Ukyo turned to look at the potential new customer. She was more than a little taken aback by his appearance. He was the easily the tallest man she had even seen, with a massive shock of white hair complimenting his light brown skin. Belaying his strange features were his clothes, a somber grey suit with tie. It was surreal; sure, foreigners were supposed to be exotic, but this took it to a whole new level!

"Ah yes," the strange man said as he used a fork to lift a piece of Ukyo's dish up to his mouth. "It smells wonderful." He ate the piece. "Such a fine texture to it as well. The shrimp is cooked just right and the seasoning compliments the taste of the other ingredients rather than overpowering them; a magnificent effort on your part, young lady."

"You're very welcome sir." Ukyo was truly grateful. At least someone around here appreciated her food!

"_Sie da!"_ he pointed to the couple, who had had been transfixed by the spectacle of the giant appearing out of nowhere to eat okonomiyaki. "_Sie haben keine Ahung was sie verpassen._"He spoke to them as if he were a teacher lecturing his wayward students.

"_Ähm, ok, na dann._" the woman meekly walked over to the stand. Ukyo handed her an untouched dish and she began to eat.

"_Oh, das ist gut!_"she cried. "_Liebling, das musst du probieren!_"

"_Meinst du wirklich? Na gut._" her partner walked over and tried some as well. He looked very impressed.

"I guess they like it." Ukyo said with great relief.

"They do." The giant man said to her. "Tell me, can you cook anything else?"

"Of course I can!" she said with pride. "Not just Japanese stuff either. I know quite a few dishes from all over the world."

"Excellent. I think your stand will become very popular during the tournament, with the right promotion of course. I will make arrangements for that."

"Arrangements?" Ukyo asked, bewildered once more. "Just who are you mister?"

"My name?" he chuckled slightly. "It's Muhsin Khatai. I'm currently working as an 'advisor' for the Bernstein Foundation to make sure the tournament runs smoothly. I consider myself somewhat of a connoisseur, and your cooking is some of the best I've had in quite a while."

"Well I'm Ukyo Kuonji, and if you want to make some sort of business agreement with me that's fine. But I warn you, I drive a hard bargain."

Muhsin laughed heartily, it made Ukyo feel as if her chest was shaking from the vibrations.

"I can see we will get along well Miss Kuonji." He extended his hand to her. "Shall we shake on it?"

Ukyo smiled again, a real one this time, brimming with confidence.

"You bet!" her tiny hand clasped his.

"Splendid, here's a small stipend to tide you over until I can bring a support team over here to assist you." Muhsin took a stack of bills from his pocket and handed it to Ukyo. Her eyes glazed over.

"Please, this is too much! I could never possibly repay you for all this Mr. Muhsin." Making a small deal was one thing, but Ukyo felt like she had just promised more than she could deliver. Besides, she was here first and foremost to support Ranchan, and how was she going to do that if she ended up spending all of her time running this stand?

"It's nothing Miss Kuonji, think of it as a gift, a token of my appreciation for your cooking skills. I'll be coming around again soon to savor your cuisine." Before she could protest further, Muhsin turned around and walked away.

He could only be in awe of his good fortune this morning. The tournament was just about to start and he had wondered where he would be able to find a good meal during it. That girl would be very useful indeed. He would make it a point to eat at her stand often over the next week.

After all, seeing as how she and the rest of Humanity would be dead after the tournament was over, his time to enjoy her cuisine would be brief.

* * *

The glare of the cameramen's lights was blinding.

"Miss Bernstein! Will you please give me just a moment?" one reporter asked frantically.

"Not before I get my questions in first!" another one countered.

Rose Bernstein looked at the mass of peasants assembled before her. They were all so pathetic, and blind to how utterly pointless their lives were. Journalists, what good were they? Why they were just a bunch of failures who tried to justify their existence by reporting on the accomplishments of the great and mighty, like her. She was an empress before these lowly serfs. If she had it her way, they would be muzzled like dogs until such time their services were needed, but apparently the rest of the world held a different opinion on the matter. She would just have to endure their gibberish for now. Something in the back of her head told her it would be worth it.

"I wish to welcome you to this news conference. I know many of you have traveled very far to come here, so I will cut right to the chase. What questions would you like me to answer first, fellow citizens?" She tried her best to smile, but it came off to the people around her as a condescending smirk. Then again they were reporters; they were used to far worse.

"Why have you organized this tournament?" a young looking man asked anxiously. Rose guessed by his exceptionally poor manners and fashion sense he must be an American. How she truly despised their kind, so crude and undignified. Why had she even let them in here in the first place? That was right; the voice in the back of her head had told her to. It seemed to be edging her into a lot of unpleasant choices lately.

"That's very simple my good man." She began. "You see I have always held a great interest in combat sports. It runs in my family. My brother for instance is a great martial artist, as was my father. I even dabble in fencing from time to time. So nothing gives me greater pleasure then being able to allow the other great martial artists of the world a forum in which to test their mettle."

"Ah, I see." was the best reply the reporter could give to Rose's verbose answer.

"Angelina Mitchelson from INN." a tall dark-skinned female reporter announced herself. "Can we talk a little more about your late father? Aren't there reports surrounding his activities in organizing previous tournaments? Stories of corruption, kidnapping, and even murder?"

"Silly rumors to be sure." Rose tried her best to sound nonchalant. "My father was a legitimate businessman who worked hard to improve the world. At any rate, I would thank you not to speak ill of the dead. Next question please."

"Here's one for you Miss Bernstein." Mitchelson continued to press on, incredulous of Rose's answer. "I've heard that you spent nearly a billion dollars building the facilities to host this event. Don't you think that was a little excessive? Certainly that money could have gone to at least a dozen worthy charitable causes instead of a modern day gladiator contest."

Rose nodded politely as the reporter made her remarks, the golden curls of her hair bobbing up and down in perfect unison, as if she was carefully considering each point. In truth she felt the woman was full of horse manure and that this insipid attempt to discredit all she had so carefully planned was worth a scornful laugh at best, but that would simply not do. The voice in the back of her head again spoke to her, guiding her to give a response that would explain just how important 'modern day gladiators' could be.

"One could argue that. You could say that all entertainment in this world is merely a distraction from the greater issues that confront us. But take away that entertainment and where does it leave us? A world without festivities is a sad world indeed."

She dropped her smile and took on a more serious tone as she continued. "However, I believe it is even more than that. Mankind needs idols that it can aspire to be like, ideals with which people can look to for guidance in developing both mind and body alike. The warriors who have assembled here to compete embody those ideals, through the tireless training they have endured to perfect their fighting skills. I think it will be a most inspiring demonstration, but I will let the viewers be the final judge in that."

The room fell silent as Rose finished her little speech. Even that Mitchelson woman seemed mollified by it. Yes, she said exactly what these sheep wanted to hear, and now she had them right where she wanted them. It was time for the _coup de grace_.

"I hope that you, as representatives of the journalism community, will do you upmost best to bring those images of heroism and sacrifice to the general public. I cannot succeed in my goal to enlighten the world without your efforts."

She could see that her comment had the appropriate effect. Appealing to a person's vanity and puffing up their self-worth was always the best way to get them over to your point of view. The voice in the back of her head said so, and that must mean it was true.

"I thank you for your time, but I must take my leave now."

"Please, wait!" a reporter in the back called out desperately. "Just one more question!"

"I am sorry, but I must make preparations for the opening ceremony. It is only two hours away. Remember, I am counting on you."

As she watched Rose step down from the podium, Angelina Mitchelson looked at the strange young girl with red eyes and blonde hair with a mixture of admiration and uneasiness. There was definitely something off about her. Then again she was the daughter of Rugal Bernstein, who despite efforts on the part of his estate to cover up his past, had been one of the most infamous drug and weapon dealers the world had ever known. And wasn't there another family member tied up in all of this? Rose's brother… what was his name again, Adelheid? No, that couldn't be it. Adelheid was a girl's name. Regardless of his name, he was an even bigger enigma then the rest of the family. Was he setting his sister up to all this?

One thing was for certain, Angelina was not done with her investigating. She would play the role of the fawning reporter for now, following the lead of her less curious competitors. But she would be keeping a close eye on Rose Bernstein and some of the more connected participants in the tournament, like Kyo Kusanagi. This whole tournament was one big puzzle just waiting to be solved. Rose could talk all she wanted about grand ideas and the enlightenment of humanity, but at the end of the day all of those bright lights just cast even darker shadows.

'It's true a world without festivals would be a sad place to live.' Angelina thought. 'But a world without truth? That would be a nightmare.'

* * *

Ash idly played with his deck of cards in one of the countless corridors located underneath the arena. Shen Woo and Xiao Lon were nearby, trying to have as little to do with one another as possible. The two had developed a burgeoning respect between them over the past few weeks, but they were too far apart in their values to ever have a true friendship. Ash liked things that way. It simply would not do for his teammates to end up more loyal to one another than himself.

Still he predicted that this team would more than meet his needs for this tournament. Shen was the reliable standby. He lacked finesse or technique, but his strength, speed, endurance, and reflexes were beyond human. A true berserker, he could only find meaning in combat. In other words, a useful tool for someone savvy enough to harness his talents.

Xiao Lon on the other hand was everything Shen was not. She was a sensitive soul who hated fighting, but understood the necessity of it in a world where only the strong could triumph. When she fought, she took down her opponents with a careful application of force, and with her wide range of weapons, she could subdue just about anyone. It was a remarkable thing to behold her in action, and Ash knew he needed to win her over to his side from the moment they met. That she was Duo Lon's younger sister just gave the situation an added sense of delicious irony.

Duo Lon, it was hard to believe that he had teamed up with Elisabeth. What a pair they made! Ash had never actually betrayed either of them, unlike Shen or Oswald, and yet now they stood as his most formidable opposition. They knew too much about how he operated, even if they were unaware of the exact nature of his plans, and therefore it was a priority to keep an eye on their movements. Good thing Ash had that covered already…

Yes, he had all of his bases covered. He had to considering the circumstances. When someone has the most to gain, it also follows they have the most to lose as well. Because he grasped that better than his enemies, Ash had come out on top time and time again.

He pulled out a card from the deck, the Ace of Hearts. That was Kyo Kusanagi, wasn't it? Not quite at the top of the order, but high up there regardless. The card of luck, ruled by emotions, and loved by many. The very top of the deck was of course the Ace of Spades; cold, intelligent, the symbol of death, but often also of justice as well. Who filled that slot in the scheme of things? Ash had a theory, but decided it was pointless to dwell on it at this time. Whoever it was, it was not Ash.

No, Ash filled the role of the Joker. The Joker was the Highest Trump in the deck, but often excluded from the games of the more traditional cards. When it was used, it could often be the key to winning a hand, but just as often cause great harm to a player's game as well. It was an outsider, it really did not belong in the order of things, but it still existed anyway. Ash thoroughly enjoyed playing this role, and would not trade it in for any other.

"It's time." He said quietly to no one in particular, although it caught the attention of his teammates regardless.

"So, we get to start crushing some heads?" Shen asked with great anticipation. He cracked his knuckles, an act which greatly annoyed Xiao Lon.

"Oh yes my friend, that and so much more." Ash took the Ace of Hearts between his index and middle finger. He raised it up to his face and studied it again in great detail. Then, very slowly, he allowed it to be burned up in his green flames. When he was done the remaining few charred pieces fell to the floor.

"Time for you to get trumped, Kyo Kusanagi."

* * *

"So it's time already." Kyo carefully adjusted his gloves. He sounded fatigued, and far older than his twenty years.

"What's wrong Kyo? You look tired, didn't get enough sleep last night?" Benimaru teased. "You and Yuki were spending an awful lot of time together. Hopefully you weren't doing anything _too_ exhausting."

"Shut up Beni, I don't need it from you of all people."

"Just trying to make for polite conversation." Benimaru looked over at Iori brooding in the corner. "Not like I'm going to get any of that with Yagami."

Iori continued to stand with his back turned, not even making one of his usual disgusted grunts in reply.

"Look at that guy." Benimaru continued. "I think I liked him better when he was threatening to kill us every ten minutes."

"Really Beni, just cut the crap already!" Kyo snapped at his friend. Seeing Benimaru's concerned expression, he felt remorseful, but could not bring himself to apologize.

"Look, don't go down this road Kyo. Whatever it is we have to face this time around, we will come out of this on top." Seeing that Kyo was not entirely convinced, Benimaru struggled to come up with a better motivational speech. "Oh geez, what would Goro say in this kind of situation?"

"If we end up facing him, you can just ask him straight up." Kyo awkwardly joked, hoping to lighten the mood.

Benimaru chuckled. "Yes, I guess that is always an option. It is strange how these things often work out."

"I bet you never thought we would team up again either."

"And you should be thankful we are. Just remember this Kyo, you've yet to win a tournament without me on your side, but I was part of the last tournament's winning team."

"Yeah, yeah, brag all you want about that, but you should also remember you've never beaten me in a one-on-one fight."

"One day that will change." Benimaru thought back to the time he and Kyo first met, getting caught up in the old memories. "But for now, you know what we have to do."

"Are you done jabbering yet?" Iori's comment cut through Kyo and Benimaru's good mood like a knife. The heir to the Yagami clan at last decided to acknowledge his teammates, and walked across the room to join them.

"Let's not waste any more time, _Kyo_." He shifted closer to his sworn rival, and locked eyes with him. "Or is it you're going soft? Would you like me to put you out of your misery now, before you embarrass yourself further?"

For a moment it looked as if Kyo would take a swing at Iori on the spot. His face contorted with rage.

"How dare you question my resolve Yagami?" Kyo shouted, pulling himself up to his full height in an attempt to gain some measure of dominance over the other man. "You'll see for yourself just how much stronger I've become. I'm not going to hold anything back this time, and I'll never allow myself to fall behind. Not to you and not to anyone else."

Kyo stormed out of the room, any doubts he had in his head banished in the rush of adrenaline he now felt. 'That damn Yagami, wait until he sees what new moves I've mastered this time!' he thought.

Back in the room Benimaru stared at Iori, standing utterly unfazed by Kyo's outburst. Benimaru could only wonder at just what the hell had happened. Kyo had gone from fatigued and shaken to fully pumped for battle in a matter of seconds, all due to a few taunts from Iori.

"That's better." Iori muttered. "He's no use to us otherwise."

Benimaru could not believe what he had just heard. Had Iori purposely done that to get Kyo focused and into a proper frame of mind for battle? In other words, was he was trying in his own way to encourage his teammate? No, that would be impossible… wouldn't it?

"What is your angle here Yagami?" Benimaru asked. "Ever since I met up with you back in Osaka your behavior has been all over the place. Is this some sort of mind game you're playing with Kyo? I won't let you manipulate him for whatever sick ideas you have planned."

"I don't care what you think of me Nikaido. This is between me and Kyo, and that bastard with the green flames. You're just here to fill out the ranks, so don't get any big ideas about what your role is in all of this." Iori did not even bother to look at Benimaru as he spoke, and after finishing he brushed aside the other man as he made his way for the door.

'My, oh my.' Benimaru thought. 'This is turning out to be far more complicated then I had expected.'

Any further investigation of Iori's behavior would have to wait however. Benimaru prided himself on his professionalism, and he intended to make a good showing at the opening ceremonies and preliminary matches.

His female fans demanded nothing less from him.

* * *

It would only be a minute or two left now until the fighters would be called out into the main arena. Ranma and his team were waiting in a small room just off of the main hall. It was odd, Ranma had never really participated in formal tournaments during his training, and he had mostly blown that stuff off during his time in Nerima, but here he was about to debut in the biggest one of them all. How were his teammates taking all of this?

"So Ryoga, you feel ready?"

"Ready?" the other teen thought about it for a moment. "I have no idea. I have no problems with fighting, but I'm about to be seen by millions of strangers across the world. A couple of weeks ago I was barely known outside of Nerima. I don't know how to feel about that."

Ranma smiled, he was amazed at Ryoga's honesty, and he had to admit his friend was right this time around. "You got me there. I guess our lives are about to be changed forever, huh?"

"And this time I really can blame you for it Ranma." Ryoga said half-jokingly.

"Heh, and how are you feeling Mousse? Feeling a little anxious?" Ranma asked the amazon, who was carefully polishing one of his swords.

"To the contrary Ranma Saotome, I feel very confident. I know I will win, because there is no other option in this case. To achieve my goals, I will crush anyone who gets in my way."

"Oh, scary stuff there man." Ranma taunted. He might have been more impressed by it if he was not so familiar with the real Mousse. The dork was probably sweating bullets underneath all that bravado; he was just doing a good job of covering it up.

"Just remember, you're also one of those people I'm going to crush." The light glinted off of Mousse's glasses gleamed as brightly as it would from any of his blades. "So don't get too used to this teammate stuff. This is only an alliance of convenience."

A young man rushed into the room. He seemed to be German, but he spoke to Ranma in Japanese.

"Mr. Saotome, please have your team ready to go in the next minute. Miss Bernstein is planning to give an address to all of the competing teams in the stadium. Failure to comply will result in disqualification." With that the man exited the room as quickly as he had entered.

"Looks like we're up," Ranma said to his teammates as he made for the door. "And lighten up Ryoga. This is hardly the worst situation we've been in, not by a long shot. Let's just take this one step at a time and see how we do."

Ryoga picked up his trusty umbrella and gave a confident glance at Ranma. In spite of all of his apprehensions and doubts, he knew in his heart that this was what he wanted more than anything, to be able to prove his worth as a martial artist before the whole world. And even though he would never admit it out loud, there was no other man he wanted to fight alongside more than Ranma. This time there were no crazy conditions or life-and-death situations to mar it either, they would be able to fight for the pure thrill of it.

As they entered the hallway and made their fateful march towards destiny, for the briefest of moments three young men stood as one, their conflicts and rivalries left behind.

* * *

"Let's hurry Nabiki, we're running late as it is!" Akane shouted at her older sister as she ran up the stairs.

"Yeah, yeah, Freddie, I know the odds." Nabiki spoke into her cell phone. "Of course I know that the initial setups for the matches are random, I still want you to bet on these guys anyway! You do your job and we'll both make a fortune on this."

"Is money the only thing you care about?" Akane called back. "Or should I even bother asking this question anymore?" she huffed as her sister continued to ignore her.

"No, that's my younger sister, so don't get any ideas. Freddie, you know you're not as smart as you think you are. Just do it already, unless you want to be replaced. God only knows you aren't the only bookie in Europe." Before her newfound 'associate' could argue further, Nabiki ended the call.

"I hope you realize just how much you're inconveniencing Kasumi." Akane continued. "She went on ahead to hold good seats for us up in the VIP box, but that doesn't give you the right to take all day with your crazy betting schemes."

"Akane, listen very carefully to me. Schemes they may be, but crazy? Oh no, that your fiancée and his merry band of brothers' specialty. I put a lot of thought into what I do, that's why I always come out on top."

"That's true for Furinkan, but this is a whole different world Nabiki. I'm worried you're getting in over your head sis."

Nabiki smiled at her sister's concern. Akane was a sweet girl, but she always played things so conservatively. How was she ever going to get ahead if she wasn't ready to take risks?

"Are you listening to me Nabiki?" Akane was fuming at this point.

"Yes, let's not keep Kasumi waiting any longer. Besides, I heard the VIP box has free concessions and that's a deal I can't pass up." She rushed past Akane before her sister could lodge another complaint.

'Nabiki, you are never going to change, are you?' Akane thought with great disappointment. 'I hope you are right though, that you know what you're doing and don't get in trouble. I would like to think that this time around you will actually help our family out.'

"Who's the slowpoke now?"

"Nabiki!"

* * *

Shampoo looked down on the stadium field from her seat, squinting to get a better view of things. The fighters had not arrived yet, but the scattered support staff looked like ants to her. Were these the best seats that her Great-grandmother could get? It was supposedly a good section, with an excellent view facing one of the giant monitors ringed around the arena to magnify the action, but for a serious martial artist like Shampoo that was a poor substitute for being able to view things up close.

For that matter, why was she not in the tournament? It really did not suit her to be a spectator while that idiotic Mousse of all people got to compete. She was the strongest female amazon of her generation after all!

"Child, you are letting your mind wander again." Cologne brusquely tore Shampoo from her thoughts.

"Sorry, Great-grandmother."

"I know you want to be down there instead of stuck in the bleachers, but that was no fault of your own. I am sure one day you will have a chance to prove yourself, but for now you must be content to watch your husband as he faces these foreigners."

Cologne truly sympathized with the girl. When she was a young woman, Cologne hated the idea of being left out of a good fight. Of course those fights tended to be life-or-death struggles for the fate of the Amazon village, so it was kind of a big deal if she got sidelined. Shampoo should at least consider herself lucky enough that she was not in a similar position.

"You know Great-grandmother, I was wondering about something." Shampoo went on.

"What is it my child."

"If Airen does win the tournament…"

"That is a very big if, Shampoo."

"Great-grandmother!" she pouted.

"I am just trying to be realistic here. My son-in-law has tremendous potential as a martial artist, I would have never invested so much in him if that were not the case, but that does not mean he can win this tournament. There are a lot of strong fighters in this world; you saw that with your own eyes when he was defeated by that American."

"That was a fluke!" Shampoo protested. "That foreigner had a lot of tricks, but tricks only work once! If Airen fought him again, I don't think that blondie would get off so easily."

"Tricks? I don't think you give that other man enough credit. But even if you are correct in your views, there are still at least a few other opponents out there who could overwhelm your husband. It would take a stroke of amazing luck for him to win it all, although I think he can clear at least the first few rounds of competition."

And that would play right into her hand, the old master thought. Once he was defeated, who would Ranma turn to for new and more powerful techniques? But there would be a higher price for them this time, oh yes. If he wanted to learn them he would have to come back to China with Shampoo, no exceptions. In fact this whole experience could help to break down some of the boy's ego, and make him more willing to listen to Cologne's advice in general. That would not be the worst thing that could happen.

As for that fool Mousse and his half-baked schemes, they could go to the devil.

'For his sake he better not make a poor showing out there. That boy is one of the strongest we have produced in a while, and I would hate for it to go to waste. The amazons need to make a good impression on the world. It might just be our key to surviving another generation.'

"Great-grandmother, I think it is you who is now letting your mind wander."

"Be quiet child. An old woman is allowed to dream once in a while."

* * *

The sunlight poured down on the competitors as they entered the stadium. Ranma could hardly believe how bright it was. Or maybe his senses were being put into overdrive by the intensity of the moment? No, that would be ridiculous! He was Ranma Saotome, he could handle anything! Well anything not including cats, male pattern baldness, and irate teenage girls.

'There sure are a lot of people out here. The stands are packed.' He noted to himself. It made sense. He had seen a lot of regular people heading to the stadium the other day, so of course they were all going to be here watching him now. That was not counting all the other people watching at home on their televisions. There were camera crews all over the place, taking shots of everything and everybody.

Akane and her sisters must be watching him as well, up in the VIP box, set far apart from the ocean of faces. He wondered if anybody else was up there watching him too. Mousse and Ryoga had both said that it was a given that Cologne and Shampoo would be coming, and Ranma had heard that Ucchan had been trying to get herself over to Germany as well. Had she made it? It would be nice to have his friend supporting him even if he could not see it. His Mom and Dad along with Mr. Tendo must be watching back in Japan, not to mention Hiroshi and Daisuke and everyone else from school. Heck, maybe even the Kunos were watching. That would be reassuring in an odd, slightly creepy sort of way.

Beside his team, all the other fighters were out on the field as well. In fact Ranma, Ryoga, and Mousse had been one of the last teams to take their place. Ranma was not sure if that was a good omen or not, but regardless he refused to allow it to affect his mindset.

From his position towards the back he could see Ryo and Robert, and who he assumed was Ryo's sister Yuri standing over on one side of the stadium. Terry and his team were nearby, and not too far away from them were Billy, Lynn, and Pepe.

Then he noticed a strangely familiar presence around him; like someone whom he had met before. He looked around trying to get a bead on it, and his vision settled on a cloaked figure about twenty feet from him.

'Who is that guy?' Ranma thought. 'His aura feels real familiar, but it's like its being deliberately held back to throw people off. Should I go over there and check?'

"Something wrong Ranma?" Ryoga asked. He too had sensed the familiar presence, but had no better luck at figuring out who it belonged to.

"That guy in the cloak, there's something up with him."

At that moment, the cloaked figured turned his head and locked eyes with Ranma. In an instant, the pigtailed boy recognized the mystery man, and he nearly gasped in shock.

"Taro." he numbly said.

"Taro? What, you mean Pantyhose Taro?" Mousse turned to look at the figure, and recognized him as well. "He's in this tournament? How the hell did we miss him yesterday?"

"He must have been hiding, that bastard. He didn't want us to blow his cover." Ryoga said bitterly.

Taro continued to stare at Ranma, and he smiled wickedly at his rival.

'Good, you understand how screwed you really are, Ranma Saotome.' Taro though. 'This time, your allies won't be able to save you, and there won't be any way you can trick me in a straight up battle. I just hope our fight doesn't come up first, I want you to ponder your wretched fate for just a little longer.'

"What are we going to do about him?" Ryoga said.

Ranma thought for a moment on what Taro's presence in the tournament signified. It was unexpected, but did it change things? No, it did not.

"What are we going to do about him? That's simple Ryoga. _I'm_ going to kick his butt!" Ranma proclaimed boldly. He stuck his tongue out at Taro and taunted him. "You don't scare me Taro, and guess what? You never did!"

Taro's face contorted into a snarl and he turned his back to Ranma once more.

'That boy won't be cocky for much longer. I will crush it out of him, bit by bit.'

"That was a stupid thing you just did there Ranma." Ryoga looked exasperated.

"This is the big leagues Ryoga. We can't let guys like that intimidate us. You think Taro is any tougher than the other fighters?"

"He's tough enough. I don't think the three of us together could beat him in his cursed state."

"Eh, I'll figure out a way. I always do."

Ryoga did not bother to respond any further. Squabbling with Ranma was not going to make a difference now. He just hoped Ranma could back up his claims this time.

Trying to draw his mind off of Taro, Ranma thought about the other fighters around him. He wondered what must be going on in their heads right now. Hardened pros like Ryo and Terry must have considered all this passé by now…

* * *

"Why didn't either of you tell me that Marco was here?" Ryo had been put into a lousy mood from this revelation. "I thought he was back in Sao Paulo visiting his parents!"

"Give us a break big bro!" Yuri shouted back at him. "It's not like we saw him until now. Are we supposed to do everything for you? "

"Yeah Ryo, why is it our fault here?" Robert was of course backing up his girlfriend on this matter, something which Ryo did _not_ appreciate, and he showed his disapproval with a withering gaze.

"Why did you even believe that story in the first place?" Robert, unimpressed with Ryo's attempt at intimidating him, went on. "Marco had just gotten back from visiting his parents when we went to Japan. Why would he be visiting them again so soon?

"I just thought he was a really devoted family man!" Ryo countered lamely, somewhat flustered. "Besides if you already figured that out, why didn't say anything, Robertina!"

"Oh for the love of Pete, the guy has his own life outside of the dojo. I figured it wasn't my business to be prying too deep in it. I say good for him that he got here."

"You can say that because he's not your student." Ryo grumbled. "Dad is going to go to hit a wall when he finds out a student slipped into the tournament without being cleared first. And by 'hit a wall,' I mean he's going to use me to hit it with." He shrugged his shoulders in defeat.

Even the pros could get caught off guard sometimes.

* * *

At long last one of the giant monitors flickered to life, and the giant visage of Rose Bernstein was displayed for all to see. Everyone in the stadium became quiet as they focused on the image. Ranma had to admit that Rose was a lot younger (and more feminine) than he had expected, but something about her immediately put him off. Maybe it was the dissonant serenity of her features, or maybe it was just her huge red eyes. It was probably the eyes. Even without firsthand experience (and he had more than enough of that) he knew you had to be wary of someone whose eyes were the color of blood.

"Warriors, I welcome you to this year's King of Fighters tournament." Rose began. "It has been far too long since our last meeting. As you can see, I have expanded the number of teams allowed to enter this time in order to broaden the competition. I believe that these changes, along with others I have made, will allow the King of Fighters to remain the world's premiere venue for the exhibition of martial arts.

"That being said, there might be some confusion as to how this year's King of Fighters tournament is organized, so allow me to explain the rules briefly for the benefit of our participants and the audience.

"We have changed the format of the matches again. The tag system in place during the last two tournaments has been retired. In place of it we have adopted a new system for organizing matches. This system is based around points, and these points are earned by winning matches. Each team member will be randomly paired off against an opponent from the opposing team. A victory against a regular member is worth one point, but if a Team Captain is defeated, two points are earned."

"Excuse me Miss Bernstein." Terry interrupted, his powerful voice travelling across the stadium. "Now I admit math has never been my strongest subject, but doesn't your system mean that there is a possible four points to be won by a team during the match? So what happens if each team scores two points? Do you call it a draw?"

Rose gave off an odd smile, as if she had expected Terry to ask that question.

"Perceptive as always Mr. Bogard, and you make a valid point. However, you are well aware that all King of Fighters tournaments have been subjected to judging over the years, and that in the last tournament there was a system in place to keep track of how many blows a fighter got in during the match, how many counters he managed to pull off, among other technical points. This was used to decide a match which ran out of time. This year it will be extended to resolve potential draws. So remember fighters, we will be judging you on style and aggressiveness as much as anything else, so be sure to keep things interesting, because it might bring you victory."

'They want me to keep things interesting?' Ranma thought as he smiled. 'They don't know who they're dealing with here! I could win all of my matches on that standard alone.'

"The matches will be divided into three individual rounds." Rose continued on. "Each round will be a maximum of twenty minutes in duration. In a case where time runs out, the judges will again be called in to decide the victor.

"Other than that, there is only one other rule in place for these battles: no killing. You can do whatever else you want, use weapons, break bones, beat your enemy into a coma… but do not kill them. I hope I do not need to overstress the importance of that. The penalties for breaking that rule… will be very unpleasant to say the least."

"That being said, the tournament will begin right now." Rose continued. "Our computers are generating the first matchups as I speak, and will be revealed in just a moment."

* * *

"They never let me have any real fun at these tournaments." Shen sneered to his teammates. "I don't even know why I keep showing up for these things."

"It's a quaint little setup for sure." Ash mused. "But I think it's to my liking." He played with a stand of his hair as he considered the possibilities.

Xiao Lon meanwhile looked across the field, her eyes transfixed on one of the fighters.

'It cannot be.' she thought. "What is the Third Crown Prince doing here?'

The other fighter caught a glimpse of her as well. The effect of his powerful gaze caused her heart to sink.

'I never wanted to fight you… Duo Lon." Xiao thought miserably. Why had it come to this?

"Don't let him get to you dear." Ash said to Xiao casually. "Old Duo there just doesn't know what he's doing. That wicked Betty, she's led him astray."

"She's not all bad. I see she brought that kung-fu bastard with her too." Shen said excitedly as he focused on Gato. "I've wanted to smash in that smart mouth of his for awhile now. He won't even be able to beg for mercy when it's all over."

"Patience Shen, I need you to pace yourself. You have a lot of other people you need to defeat first." Ash looked up at the screen again, and smirked.

"I wonder how that "computer" of ours is working."

* * *

"So now Master, which teams would you like to see go first?"

The girl who asked this question had slender build with a boyish appearance. She was cloaked in an ornate black robe. Her straight yellow hair was matted around her head like a thick shell, giving it more the appearance of a helmet than a natural part of her body.

The Master laughed. "Yes, which ones should go first? So many choices, but I think we should go for something unorthodox, that the masses will not expect." His right hand touched a small keyboard built into his massive throne. An image then appeared on a large monitor that the girl sat in front of.

"Oh, what a wonderful choice Master!" Her eyes narrowed over the data. "I will send it out immediately."

The Master lounged back into his throne. "I hope this proves to be interesting as I imagined. Heh, break a spine out there people!"

* * *

"Yes? We have the results?" Rose asked one of her off-camera assistants. "Very good then, I will announce them." The assistant walked over and handed her a small slip of paper. She put on the best smile she could as she prepared to read it (just like the voice in the back of her head told her to).

"The first match will be… the team of B. Jenet, Marco Rodriguez, and Tizoc versus… the team of Ranma Saotome, Ryoga Hibiki, and Mous-say."

A huge cheer rose out of the crowds as they heard the news. At long last the time had come! One person was not so pleased however.

"It's Mousse damn it! Mousse!" the male amazon yelled in rage at the screen. "How hard is it to mess that up people? Screw this all, I should have just gone with _Mùsī_ of the _N__ǚ__jiézú_. It couldn't have been any worse than this!"

As much as Ranma and Ryoga would have normally taken delight over mocking their comrade's discomfort, they were both too shocked by the revelation that they would competing in the first match of the tournament to even notice it.

"We got picked first?" Ryoga asked in astonishment. "What were the chances?"

"I don't know, as good as anyone else's I guess." Ranma felt his confidence quickly surging however. "This is great thought! No waiting for us, we get right into the action!"

Meanwhile, the Jenet team was coming to terms with the news as well.

"So our first opponents are a bunch of school kids?" Marco said disappointedly. "I was hoping for one of the more established teams."

"No, I like it this way." Jenet said. "Those guys will make for a good warm-up. It doesn't hurt that they're really cute. What do you think Tizoc?"

The big man shifted his head to the side, as if in deep thought, although it was hard to tell with the elaborate mask that covered his entire head. After a few seconds he replied.

"I can't speak for their looks Miss Jenet, but I think you are right otherwise. Those boys look like they understand the meaning of battle. I look forward to this. It's going to be a good day!"

"All other teams will now immediately clear the stadium floor." Rose said as she restored order to proceedings. Please stand by however, you can be called back at any time for your match. The Tenth King of Fighters tournament begins in earnest now. I wish all of you good luck." Her image then vanished, replaced by a close up of the arena floor.

As the thirty other teams filed out of the stadium, leaving only the picked two behind, a swirl of emotions surrounded them. Old hatreds, new friendships, hopes for the future, bitter memories of the past, they all came together. It seemed almost overwhelming to the spectators, distracting them from the impending match, but they quickly settled down and focused on the unfolding battle.

Ranma looked hard at his competition from across the field. How strong they were? What tricks did they have up their sleeves?

He realized there was no time to guess, his team about to find out firsthand.

End Chapter

_Wow, this was a much harder chapter to write then I initially expected, and I even had it pretty well planned out beforehand. The good news is that the fights start next chapter, and I've already started writing them. It's all coming together nicely, and it's a relief to finally get to the meat of the fic after some two hundred pages of setup. Two hundred pages? Wow, it's strange to write that._

_A note on one of the names in this chapter, Muhsin is an Arabic name meaning "benefactor." I thought it was wonderfully ironic considering the situation. _

_Next chapter will be posted in three weeks._

_I also want to thank Jeschura for the German in this chapter; it gave a nice touch of authenticity to the scene._

_Other news? King of Fighters XIII has been scheduled for a July 20 release in Japan, with the American and European versions to follow in the next few months. That's the arcade version, if you want to play it on a console, then you're in for a longer wait. It should be worth it though._

_Also, there was a sad bit of news in the Ranma community. Robert O. Smith, who was the voice actor for Genma in the English dub, died earlier this month of cancer at the age of 67. He was an awesome guy who did work on a number of other anime series as well, including the Fatal Fury movies. Rest in peace Mr. Smith, you earned it._

_That's all for now, until next time, take care! _


	17. From Brazil

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all associated licensers. The King of Fighters and it associated series are the property of SNK-Playmore and all associated licensers. This is not a work for profit. I claim no rights to the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Continuity for Ranma is mostly derived from the manga, with some of the anime sprinkled in for good measure. Continuity for the King of Fighters is a modified form of the current story, how that is should be explained in story, but I am willing to explain for those with further questions.

Enjoy!

Chapter 17

"Ryo, wait! Where you going man?" Robert watched in exasperation as his friend stormed down the corridor ahead of him. "You telling me you're not going to watch this match?"

"Yeah big bro, we should be staking out our competition." Yuri chimed in. "And I want to see how that guy with the pigtail fights! You made such a big deal about it before, what gives?"

Ryo came to a halt. "I can't watch this! It's a conflict of interest! My student is on one team, and the kid is on another!"

"What conflict of interest? We have to root for Marco! He's representing our school!"

Ryo shook his head in disappointment. "You just don't get it yet Yuri, and you wonder why I don't consider you a serious martial artist."

"Big bro, you are such a jerk!" Yuri said peevishly. She stuck her tongue out at him and stomped off down another corridor. "I'm going to find a room where I can watch this thing, you coming Robert?"

"Eh, give me a moment honey. I'll try to talk some sense into your brother here first."

"Suit yourself, and here I thought we could cuddle together on some chair and…"

"Didn't you say were going somewhere?" Ryo yelled at her.

"Nyah!" Yuri finally left.

Robert took a deep breath. "You know Ryo, it's not like it's any of my business…"

"But you'll say something anyway."

"Ahem, you and Yuri would get along a lot better if you stopped treating here like she was still ten. I know you practically raised her through a good chunk of your life, but she's a full grown woman at this point and you need to start respecting her as such."

"She doesn't understand though, the code between men." Ryo said as he sighed deeply.

"I'm going to take a wild guess here and say it's because _she's a woman_! Oh, you are hopeless."

"You understand Bob, right?"

"What? The match? I guess. How would the Master put it? Something like, 'a student who violates the principles of the Art, even with the intention of doing good, is still doing evil.' Am I right?"

"More or less. I'm sure Marco meant well when he entered the tournament, but he doesn't understand that until he's fully trained in every aspect of Kyokugen, he's in no position to be fighting anyone. An improper application of the techniques could get him or someone else seriously hurt, crippled, or even killed."

"But as long as he stays to the basic stuff it shouldn't be a problem."

"He knows a lot more than the basics though. Marco was already an experienced fighter when he came to our school, so he picked up things much faster than a total novice would. He's already learned the Haoh Sho Ko Ken, and he's been fooling around with the Ko Hou, trying to match my father's perfected version of the move."

"Alright, but he doesn't know how to use the Ranbu, right?"

"…"

"Ryo." Robert felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"There's no possible reason he should, but with Marco…"

"Oh man." Robert put his face to his palm. "But it's just a hunch on your part. You know you could simply be over thinking this."

"But if I'm right, the consequences could be horrific." Ryo turned his back to Robert. "I have no way of calling this fight off. It's totally in the hands of Ranma and his friends to stop this now. But it's making me sick just thinking about it."

Ryo could feel Robert's hand gently come down on his shoulder. "Come on, let's go meet up with Yuri and watch this fight. Whatever happens, we owe both teams the courtesy of watching their battle."

Ryo took a deep breath and relaxed. "Okay, but under one condition: _no cuddling_."

"Not even with you?" Robert grinned.

"Ugh, now I really am going to be sick."

* * *

"Did you see him out there Duo Lon? Arrogant little brat, acting as if he had already won!" Elisabeth was livid, the first time that Duo Lon could ever remember her being so.

"Please, I know it was upsetting," he tried to console her. "But we must keep our emotions in check here. You know as well as I do that Ash thrives off of manipulating people's emotions. Do not fall into his trap Miss Elisabeth."

"I am quite aware of that." She said imperiously. "It just enrages me that I just had to stand there while Ash gloated. Does he really think that he is going to get away this time?"

"I understand your anger Miss Elisabeth, but you know that it would have been a disaster if we had attacked him right then. Think of the panic it would have caused in the audience, and the possibility that innocent people would have been hurt."

"What garbage you speak." Gato growled in a mixture of disgust and mockery. "You were worried people would get hurt? You are an assassin by trade!"

"I am an assassin by trade, that's true, but I still have my code of ethics. I do not slay a person unless there is ample evidence of their crimes, and even then I will try to dissuade a potential client from hiring me if there is another option available. You can mock my ways if you wish, but I am glad to live by those principles."

"How very noble of you," Gato replied sarcastically, "But If you have so much trouble with the idea of blood being shed, then you should retire to a monastery to ease your conscience, you pathetic hypocrite."

'This man,' Don Lon thought with great discomfort. 'He is remarkably gifted, but his personality is unbearable. How can he hold such bitterness? We both suffered tragedy and betrayal in our lives, but I never allowed myself to succumb to such feelings!'

"I know why you were so reluctant to fight." Gato lips twisted into a cruel smirk. "It was that tart with the green hair." He saw Duo Lon noticeably react to that, and decided to probe even further.

"Who is she, a former lover of yours? Perhaps your cold, dark exterior holds an even softer heart then I first imagined?"

Duo Lon stopped in his tracks. An eerie aura developed around him, making even Gato pause.

"Let me be very clear Gato." Duo Lon's tone was a cold as ice. "You are my teammate, and Miss Elisabeth considers you a critical part of her efforts, so I grant you a great degree of latitude in your behavior. But if you _ever_ speak of my younger sister in such disgraceful terms ever again, I will kill you where you stand."

If the Hizoku assassin had thought that would silence Gato, he was sorely mistaken.

"I think I would enjoy that!" the other man bellowed. "It would be my first worthwhile fight in a while! In fact, why even wait, try it right now. I would love to see if this Chinese Black Magic of yours is actually worth a damn!"

"_ç__a suffit!"_ yelled Elisabeth as she cracked her riding crop, a dazzling white aura surrounding it. "I will not brook this behavior among my allies any longer!"

Her outburst managed to silence the two men. Duo Lon bowed ever so slightly to Elisabeth, a sign of apology for allowing his emotions to overwhelm his judgment. Gato simply scowled; annoyed that he had been denied an opportunity for a worthy challenge of his skills.

"So are you going to watch the match?" Elisabeth asked Gato, trying to change the subject. "The pirate and the wrestler, they are former teammates of yours."

"Does it make a difference? Do I owe anything to them for it? I have no use for such pointless actions."

"You do not seem to have much use for anything." Duo Lon looked upon his teammate with equal parts disgust and pity.

"It is what makes me strong… you will see that soon enough, one way or the other."

* * *

"Honey, get in here!" Nodoka called to her husband from across the Tendo house. "Our Ranma and his friends have been picked for the first match!"

"What? So soon?" the elder Saotome muttered. Genma was in the bathroom, doing what comes naturally to all men… even if they do not talk about it in polite company. "Stupid boy, he always puts me in these bad spots!"

"Saotome, aren't you coming down?" Soun asked. "This is your son making his world debut in competitive martial arts. I would think even you would be excited."

"I'm coming Tendo, I'm coming." Genma said as he flushed the toilet. He rushed back to the living area and joined the others. "So who is the boy fighting?"

"I'm not familiar with them." Soun said as he stroked his chin. "They are all foreigners. The girl seems European, and I have no idea about the other two."

"Well that wasn't very helpful. I could have figured that much out just by looking at the screen."

"Why is everyone so hard on me?" Soun sobbed. "You try to do a favor for a friend and you get insulted for return."

"Oh brother, are you trying to guilt me Tendo?"

"Shush you two!" Nodoka demanded. "The match will begin any moment!"

"Don't shush me woman, this is a serious discussion about men's deep feelings… wait a moment, that came out wrong."

"I don't even have my daughters here to console me." Soun continued to whine.

"Lucky them." Genma said as he plopped onto the couch next to his wife. It was time to see what that ungrateful boy was really capable of. All the training that Genma had put him through, all the adventures they had gone on, it would all be meaningless if Ranma humiliated himself before half the world. But could the boy really wash out in his first match? If his previous fight with that Sakazaki man had been any indicator, then the odds did not look good. However, that (very) small piece of Genma that was a proud, concerned father felt that things would be different this time…

"Do it boy, make me proud." He said quietly, but with absolute conviction.

Genma then felt Nodoka's head lightly rest on his shoulder.

"I could not agree more Dear."

Soun continued to sulk off to the side, oblivious to anything else.

* * *

Hiroshi hummed merrily as he prepared some snacks in the kitchen. Girls! Girls were in his house! This had been such a great idea, inviting Yuka and Sayuri over to watch the tournament. It had worked out even better than he ever imagined! What with Akane and her sisters going off to Germany, her friends had been feeling bored and gladly agreed to the suggestion of watching the fights on his family's brand new plasma set. His parents had been so thrilled at the prospect of their son having any sort of contact with females that they gladly left him and Daisuke alone to their own devices. It did not get any better than this; it was like his life finally had some meaning!

'And I owe it all to Ranma. That guy, I knew I was hanging around him all this time for a reason!'

"Yo Hiro-kun!" he could hear Daisuke shout from the living room. "How's the snack situation in there?"

"I'm bringing them, I'm bringing them." Hiroshi said as he picked up the trey and hurried back to the living room (and the girls!) as quickly as he could without spilling the food all over the place.

"So what did I miss?" he asked.

"Oh nothing big," Sayuri said, lounging on the carpet belly down, her chin held up by her arms. "Just Ranma and his team getting picked for the first match."

"What? You're kidding! That's huge! Why didn't you guys tell me sooner? I could have missed some of the action!"

"Relax Hiroshi." Yuka said. "We would have filled you in if anything had happened." Her eyes narrowed. "You did bring all of the snacks I wanted?"

"Yeah… of… of course." Hiroshi sputtered. "Five kinds of pocky for you and this sweet red bean paste here for the lovely Ms. Sayuri."

"I'm not lovely?" Yuka growled dangerously.

"No! I mean yes! You're very, very lovely! The loveliest girl I know by far. "

Sayuri got off the floor. "So what gives? All the sudden I'm not so lovely to you _Mr._ Hiroshi?"

"That's not what I meant!" Hiroshi said desperately. Damn it, what was he supposed to do now? Ranma had come up with a good idea to get the girls to come over to the house, but he never said what to do next! Then a horrific realization dawned on Hiroshi.

'That because Ranma doesn't know how to handle his own girlfriends! I'm doomed, doooooomed!'

"Hey girls, it looks like they're announcing something new." Daisuke said as he tried to calm the girls down.

"Really? Let me see that." Yuka turned her attention back to the set, Sayuri following her lead.

Hiroshi put the trey down on a small table in front of the couch and sat next to Daisuke. The two looked at one another and gave a quiet sigh of relief.

"We dodged a bullet there my friend." Daisuke said in hushed tones.

"What are we going to do next Dai? I don't know how to talk to chicks." Hiroshi also whispered.

"Let's just take it as it comes. Ranma got us this far, I think he's about to come through for us again. After all, we are his best friends, right?"

"More or less."

"And we've seen a lot of his fights."

"Yeah, where are you going with this?"

"So… let's do some commentary dude. The girls don't know that much about martial arts, so we'll explain things for them. Think about how impressed they'll be."

"Eh, we can do that?"

"What's stopping us?"

"The fact that I can barely pronounce the name of that fighting style Ranma uses, let alone all of the other crazy techniques those other guys use."

"Well the girls don't know that."

Hiroshi's expression brightened. "Yeah, I see where you're going Dai. It's so crazy, it might just work!"

"What are you two blabbing about over there?" Yuka said sharply without even turning around. "Are you even paying attention to what going on?"

"Of course my dears!" Hiroshi said, flushed with new confidence. "In fact, let me and Dai explain to you the finer points of what's going on."

"Well they're all standing in the arena, duh." Yuka said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world (because it was).

"We are doomed Dai, dooooooooooooomed…"

* * *

"We are now selecting the matchup for the first round of this battle." A female voice blurted out over the speaker system. "Teams, please line up at the opposite ends of the ring."

Ranma, Ryoga, and Mousse moved to their end of the ring, and watched as Jenet's team did likewise. Above them, on the giant monitors that surrounded the arena, their names flashed up in bright red. After a few moments of waiting, two of the names turned green.

"The selection has been made." The voice on the speaker began. "The first round will be… Marco Rodriguez versus… Ryoga Hibiki!"

The crowd began to rustle in excitement at the news.

"Hibiki was picked first?" Mousse asked. "It seems… totally unfitting."

"To hell with you!" Ryoga shouted at him over the deafening roar of the crowd. He turned to Ranma. "I guess I'm fighting even sooner than I expected."

"You can do this man." Ranma said in a supportive tone. "You can almost match me in a fight, so you should have no trouble against this guy."

"_Almost match you in a fight!_" Ryoga's face lit up bright red. "I'm your equal and then some! You'll see it when I bulldoze this guy over in no time flat!"

"That's the spirit, but I am a better fighter than you."

"Agh!" Ryoga snarled as he jumped up into the ring.

"That's your version of a pep talk, Ranma Saotome?" Mousse said. "I think I can do without them, thank you very much."

"Don't worry; I wouldn't ever waste my time encouraging you."

"…

"I really hate you Saotome, you do know that?"

* * *

"I can't believe it Great-grandmother! Airen is not going to be fighting first? He's the team leader. Leaders always go first in battle!"

"Quiet child, I have great interest in this battle." Cologne focused on Ryoga's distant form.

So much potential in that one. He was immensely strong, and possessed great determination and endurance. Under Cologne's careful guidance, those traits had been enhanced even further. But he was not without his weaknesses. While he was hardly clumsy, he lacked the degree of control, restraint, and grace that Ranma or even Mousse possessed. His temper had improved greatly in the past few months, but he was still prone to letting his anger get the better of him in a tough fight. He had already tested himself well in several fights against opponents besides Ranma, but how would he do in a more formal setting?

'And that man's ki,' Cologne thought in regards to Marco. 'He's most likely a student of the same school as that Sakazaki fellow. Can Hibiki do any better against it?'

She turned to her Great-granddaughter. "What do you think of this situation child?"

"I just hope Airen gets to fight soon." Shampoo sulked.

'As I thought, hopeless as ever.' the old woman shook her head.

* * *

In the VIP box, Akane looked worried as she watched Ryoga take his place in the ring. Her mind raced with many thoughts.

'Oh Ryoga, be careful down there. This is a big deal for you, I know that, and I want you to do well. I'm also sure you can take care of yourself but…'

"That kid is in trouble."

Over in the corner, a well-dressed young man, maybe a few years older than Kasumi, sat in a fine leather chair. He held a writing pad and a pen. Lying on the floor in front of him was an open laptop.

"What did you say?" Akane started literally _glowing_ with rage. "You dare to make fun of Ryoga?"

Her sisters, sitting on each side of her, sensed what was coming next.

"Now Akane, please try to come down." Kasumi pleaded. Things had been going so pleasantly up until this point, and she simply did not want it to be spoiled due to some flippant remark by a stranger.

"You should listen to Kasumi." Nabiki said in an equally desperate tone.

"Nabiki, you're actually backing me up?" Kasumi eyes grew misty as she was overcome by joy.

"Of course of I am! We can't afford to get sued if Akane assaults this guy!"

"Oh, of course." Kasumi felt her spirits plummet back to earth.

"No I won't back down!" Akane said as she stomped towards the man, greatly alarming everyone else in the VIP box. "You take back what you said about Ryoga!"

"I just call them like I see them." The man said casually; seemingly unafraid of the violence that Akane threatened to unleash upon him. "I'm guessing the kid in yellow is someone you know?"

"He's a good friend of mine."

"Then my apologies, but I stand by what I said. Do have any idea who that other man he is about to fight is?"

The man's question seemed to snap Akane out of her anger. "No, not particularly. Is he famous?"

The man folded his hands together and rested his chin on them as he looked out the window.

"In some circles he is. That guy is Marco Rodriguez, the 'Beast from Bauru.' He was at one time considered among the finest practitioners of full-contact karate in the world. A few years ago, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, he was defeated by another fighter, Ryo Sakazaki, the 'Invincible Dragon' in the finals of a MMA tournament."

"Mr. Sakazaki beat that man?" Akane was unsure where this was all going, but she was suddenly overcome with a feeling of dread.

"Oh, so you know who Sakazaki is, that's good, I can skip ahead. Sakazaki beat him alright, and Rodriguez retired from fighting. He traveled to the States, where he joined Sakazaki's dojo and learned from him. He was tough before, but with his new training, he's probably one of the fighters to look out for in this tournament."

"Oh my, one of Mr. Ryo's students." Kasumi said softly from her chair. "What were the odds?"

"Ryoga is fighting another practitioner of Kyokugen?" Akane tried to process that. Did that mean that Ryoga would lose the way Ranma did? No! He had witnessed that fight, he must have been able to take something from it, come up with a way of counteracting it. Ryoga was an amazing fighter in his own right; he couldn't just roll over and lose his first match!

Meanwhile, Nabiki had slyly moved next to the young man.

"Hey mister, you seem to know a whole lot about this stuff. Who are you exactly?" she tried to come off as seductive, but the man seemed to regard her with great annoyance.

"Gary O'Conner. I'm a reporter for _SNN Sport Network_. You could say it's my job to know this stuff, because well… it is."

"So you know most of these fighters?" Nabiki's head became flush with images of silver and gold. "Would you say you could make educated guesses on who might win a given match?"

O'Conner narrowed his eyes. "I'm not a gambler, and would you kindly take your hand off of my chair young lady?"

"Don't be so cold, I'm a sensitive girl."

"_Right._"

Akane (gently) pried Nabiki from the chair.

"Forgive my older sister Mr. O'Conner. She can be a little pushy."

"I never would have noticed." O'Conner said wryly.

"I'm Akane Tendo. Look, I'm sorry I blew up at you…"

"You don't have to say anymore, Miss Tendo. Friends are friends, I can understand that much. But your friend… he's got a very big challenge in front of him."

"I choose to believe in him."

"Well, at least it will make a good story for the magazine." O'Conner said as he started scribbling into his note pad.

* * *

"Come on Marco-baby, this is going to be an easy one. The kid uses an umbrella as a weapon for crying out loud!" Jenet said as she cheered on her teammate.

'I will admit he doesn't look like much.' The Kyokugen expert silently agreed with his partner. "But I cannot underestimate him. This boy is a comrade of Saotome, whom Master Ryo spoke so highly of. There has to be more to this one than meets the eye.'

"Marco my friend!" Tizoc shouted into the Brazilian's ear, breaking him out of thought. "Whatever happens, enjoy the fight for what it is! Enjoying the battle is as important as victory!"

Marco rubbed his ears. "I'll enjoy this fight a lot more if you don't blow out my eardrums first you _frango louco_!"

"Oh, sorry about that." Tizoc rubbed the top of his head and, for a man whose face was completely covered by a mask, looked remarkably contrite.

"Right, don't take Tizoc's words too seriously Marco. After all, only winners get the prize money!" Jenet stamped her foot down anxiously. "And I'll be damned if I go home with nothing this time around!"

Marco looked backed at his teammates and smiled. They meant well, even if they were both crazy. He stepped up into the ring and walked towards the center, meeting Ryoga halfway. Marco's large frame loomed over Ryoga, making the teenager seem even younger by comparison.

Marco then gave a sharp bow and began a little speech he had prepared for this occasion.

"_Bom Dia_.I think it's only appropriate that I introduce myself to my opponent. Osu to you, young man, I am Marco Nelson de Pereira Saldanha Rodriguez of Brazil! I represent the Kyokugen-ryu School of Karate and currently hold the rank of _Jyuku_. I also hold black belts in three other schools."

"Greetings to you Marco, I'm Ryoga Hibiki of Japan." He returned Marco's bow. "My school… I have none, I'm self-taught. So you use Kyokugen huh? Like Ryo Sakazaki?"

"You know of my Master then. Of course you would, from your team captain." Marco smiled, beaming with pride, before his expression turned serious again. "I warn you now though that no two Kyokugen practitioners fight exactly the same way. We pride ourselves on individuality and innovation, and knowing my Master's moves will not give you an advantage over me."

"Fair enough, but I'll _warn_ you that Ranma is my rival, and the man I plan to surpass as a great fighter. Don't think you can grasp my ability by what you've heard about him." Ryoga paused for a moment, as he felt a little curious. "So you're really a Brazilian? I've been to Rio a few times, it's a beautiful city. The people are nice as well." He tried to say this with as much respect as possible.

"That's true boy, but you should know I'm no feckless _carioca_, I'm a _paulista _and we always get the job done." Marco then raised his hand up towards Ryoga and snapped his fingers, as if to emphasize the importance of his statement.

"My mistake." Ryoga replied impassively.

* * *

"They lost me at Brazilian." Said a very confused Ranma; seriously, what the heck were those two talking about?

"Don't think about it too much Saotome. You'll just tire yourself out before your fight." Mousse said smugly.

"Shut up."

* * *

"Fighters… are you ready?" the voice blared out over the speaker. The crowd gave out another cheer.

"Defend yourself boy!" Marco said as he jumped back a few steps and assumed a fighting stance.

"You'll be the one on the defense!" Ryoga readied his umbrella for battle.

For a tense few seconds, the world seemed to freeze around them.

"Round One… Ready? GOOOOOO!"

Ryoga charged in fiercely, thrusting his umbrella squarely at Marco's chest. Marco did not seem to react at all, still standing in the same spot, locked in his stance.

'Just going to stand there and take it?' Ryoga thought. 'Suit yourself! You don't know how strong I really am!'

He covered the ground between them in less than a second, and prepared to land the blow…

And then Marco made his counterattack.

"Ha!" the Brazilian called out as he moved in a flash. He ran around the tip of Ryoga's umbrella, despite it only being a few centimeters in front of him, and blitzed into his unprepared opponent. He smacked his forearm up into Ryoga's jaw, staggering the teen.

"Ugh!" Ryoga cried as he staggered back a few steps. He brought up his knee, hoping to hit Marco in the sternum, but missed. Marco had already retreated safely out of range, ready to take on the next attack.

Ryoga paused and took stock of his situation. Marco's blow had not really hurt him, all he felt was a slight tingling in his jaw.

'I'm alright. That was probably far from his best shot, but I still shook it off. I never expected him to move so fast though. He's good alright, just like I would expect from someone who studied under Mr. Sakazaki.'

"Taking a breather already boy?" Marco taunted him. "You're not as serious about this as I thought."

Ryoga gave his reply by jumping into the air and bringing his umbrella down with both arms in a downward thrust. He figured it was a safe attack, as the sheer power behind it would be almost impossible to counter. Marco would either have to step back or be crushed, and Ryoga already had another attack planned either way.

"Hien Shippu Kyaku!" Marco flew up into the air, his knee extended, wrapped in an aura of ki. He was very proud of his unique version of the classic technique, perfect for knocking down airborne foes. He met Ryoga in midair, trying to smash through the teen's defense as he had before, but Ryoga was more prepared this time, and quickly adjusted his umbrella to absorb the force of the blow.

"Arghhh!" Marco gritted his teeth as his knee connected with the umbrella tip. The ki sheath protected him from the worst outcome, a shattered kneecap, but the pain was still considerable. What was that umbrella made of anyway? The tip of it seemed to buckle and crack, but it still held together otherwise.

Through great effort, Marco brought his other leg forward, completing the technique. His left foot, blazing with golden energy, came down on Ryoga. Marco was too disoriented to score a direct hit, but it did graze its target. Ryoga was thrown back by the force and came crashing down to the stadium floor with a dull thud. He rolled himself off the ground quickly as Marco landed nearby, favoring his right leg.

'Come on, don't give out on me!' Marco thought as he rubbed his leg. It was sore, but it seemed that it would continue to support him. He grimaced in determination; this fight was far from over.

Ryoga picked himself off the ground carefully. Again, the impact had caused only minimal harm to him. So far, so good; his opponent definitely looked worse for their exchange of blows. He studied his damaged umbrella and without a second thought tossed it aside. While it was a powerful weapon, against an opponent so skilled in hand-to-hand combat techniques it could become a liability. Ryoga would be better able to counter Marco's moves with his bare hands, and end this fight that much sooner.

* * *

"Rodriguez looks hurt." O'Conner mumbled to himself as he scribbled down some notes. "Did not see that one coming, at least not this early in the match. Now the other guy is tossing that… club or whatever it is away. What a crazy match."

"I told you Ryoga could handle himself." Akane said proudly. "He trained hard for this tournament, and I knew he would do well."

"Geez Akane, save some praise for your fiancée." Nabiki teased. Akane froze in mortification at her older sister's statement.

"Fiancée? You're engaged, at your age?" O'Conner looked incredulous. How ridiculous, this girl couldn't be much older than his sister, and she wasn't even out of high school. He stared at Akane for a moment, trying to get a sense of her body language to see if it was true or not. It turned out to be fairly easy; the girl was terrible at hiding her emotions.

"You _are_ engaged." He stated bluntly, and then without any other comment went back to looking out the window.

"That's all you're going to say?" Akane said in irritation.

"Not my business." O'Conner said, his head still turned away from her. "I'm here to cover the fight."

Nabiki had a flash of insight, and decided to press her advantage. "It's not even your business when Akane's engaged to one of the team captains?"

"Nabiki!"

"Wait, what?" O'Conner's interest was piqued.

"I can give you all of the juicy details Mr. Reporter… if you're willing to pay." Nabiki said through heavily lidded eyes.

O'Conner sighed; he knew he was going to regret this.

"And how much are we talking about here? Understand, my employers have allowed me a certain amount of funding for 'research', but if you think I'm going to just drop a pile of cash in your lap you are sorely mistaken."

"Let's start with a nice even number, say three thousand American dollars?"

"Baloney, whatever you know can't be worth that much. How about a thousand? And believe me, I'm being _real generous_."

"I don't know Mr. Reporter. My poor family spends a lot on house repairs, what with all the _elite_ martial artists who tend to gather there and fight. A measly thousand is just not going to cut our needs."

"Like you ever pay for our repairs! The only reason you want that money is to buy a new Prada bag!" Akane screamed.

"I'll pay you fifteen hundred and that's my final offer!" O'Conner stated defiantly, taking a checkbook out of his jacket. "And this info better be good Miss Tendo, or I will be back for my money." Did this snotty little girl think she could just come out of nowhere and shake him down? He was probably over paying as it was.

Nabiki eyes lit up in joy as she saw O'Conner fill out the check and hand it over to her. "Done and done Mr. Reporter!" she said as she took out some photos. "This is to start you out. I can elaborate on them for you, but after a certain point you're going to have to dole out some more if you want the full story."

Akane peered over O'Conner's shoulder to take a look at what photos her sister had sold off to him. Her face turned beat red, partly out of rage, but even more out of embarrassment.

"Nabiki, those are photos of when Happosai went on his last panty raid, the one that started in _my bedroom_!"

"Well I wasn't going to tell him they were _your_ panties Akane. Now why did you have to go and blow your cover like that?"

Akane's brain proceeded to crash into oblivion at that point.

"What the hell?" O'Conner had to stifle a gasp as he went over the semi-salacious photos. "Who is this old man, and why are the guys from that team down there fighting him?"

Nabiki got a knowing expression on her face. "Well now Mr. Reporter, how much is that worth to you?"

* * *

Marco stared down Ryoga from the other side of the ring, separated by a few dozen meters. He was breathing hard, trying to regain his composure.

This boy was just so strong! It was madness, pure madness! His physical strength was immense, probably matched only by someone like Tizoc or Master Takuma. His endurance and resilience were nothing short of astonishing either. Hitting him was like smacking a block of solid cast iron. How could this teenager, less than half Marco's own age, managed to have become so tough?

Marco noticed his teammates watching him carefully off to the side of the ring, and pulled himself together.

'So he's stronger than me! So what? I'm faster, older and more experienced. And I have the full set of the Kyokugen School's special techniques at my disposal. This is a fight that I can win. I just have to start approaching it in a different way."

"Hey Mr. Rodriguez, you okay over there?" Ryoga said sympathetically. "It looks like you put a lot of strain on your leg." He really was concerned for the health of his opponent. He had not known him for long, but Ryoga could see Marco was an honorable man who deserved respect as a worthy adversary. If only Ranma could be more like this during their fights…

"I'm more than okay Mr. Hibiki. I am ready to put you in your place!" Marco shifted his arms forward, palms open, as if preparing for another strike. He dashed forward and took a long jump forward, and landing in front of Ryoga, made a quick kick at Ryoga's sternum. Ryoga was equally quick to counter, swatting down the kick, but his opponent followed it up with a palm thrust to the face. This too was easily countered, and Ryoga caught Marco's open palm in his hand…

"That was exactly what I thought you would do!" Marco announced with a big grin on his face, readying his other hand.

"Kohou!" the Brazilian raised his fist upwards, his body being propelled by ki. Ryoga was struck square in the jaw and was sent several feet upwards. Marco flew upwards as well, but his sense of balance was thrown off by the Lost Boy continuing to instinctually clasp onto his hand with crushing strength. They fell to the earth clumsily, still entwined.

'He's going to break my hand into pieces if I don't get him off!' Marco panicked. He resorted to an old trick of his from before he even started training under Ryo: he headbutted Ryoga in the face. His own skull made a hearty thud against Ryoga's, and the boy shuttered and released his grip. However, while that may have saved his hand, Marco quickly regretted his decision. The world around him turned hazy, and he could see red engulf his vision; he realized he must have split his forehead wide open. Ryoga on the other hand looked slightly dazed but otherwise fine.

'I guess it was inevitable I would someday meet a person with a harder head then mine.' Marco joked to himself. 'How fitting that it would be a teenage boy.' He staggered backwards and fell on his rear.

* * *

"Marco…" Jenet said listlessly. She knew Marco was a tough cookie, by far one of the stronger fighters currently living in Southtown. Yet here it was, some Japanese kid who she had never even heard of until yesterday was overwhelming him!

"Neither one will give up." Tizoc said suddenly. His arms were folded across his chest, and he seemed deep in thought. "These two are both very stubborn. Even in a hopeless fight they go forward, no matter what the cost to themselves."

"And you're okay with that?" Jenet said accusingly. "If you're severely hurt, you should just keep on fighting until an even worse injury stops you?"

"A man's pride is a strange thing Ms. Jenet. Sometimes it drives him to do some pretty stupid things. Other times it makes him do awful, terrible things. But then… there are times were it drives him to do some downright _miraculous_ things."

"I think that mask of yours is starting to cut off the oxygen to your brain, Tizoc-baby."

Tizoc chuckled. "I told you it was a strange thing. Why don't you watch it for yourself? After all, actions always express more than words."

* * *

"Oh man, that guy is bleeding all over his face." Ranma said with concern. "This is one ugly fight."

Mousse looked at him disdainfully. "Why do you care? Hibiki is winning, _our team_ is winning. Does the pain of your enemies concern you that much, Ranma Saotome?"

"I don't have any patience for your crap right now." Ranma looked at the amazon with disgust and turned his attention back to the fight. He saw Ryoga getting back up to his feet, shaking off the effects of Marco's headbutt.

"Ryoga!" he screamed at the Lost Boy. "End this fight quickly. You're gonna accidently kill this guy at the rate things are going!"

Ryoga looked across the ring and made eye contact with Ranma, and slowly gave him a thumbs up.

"Ko ou Ken!" Marco's yell cut through the tension of the moment as a yellow blast of energy flew from his open palm at astonishing speed. He had taken advantage of the brief lull in the battle to choose another method of attack.

Ryoga's instincts took over and he dove to the right of him in order to avoid the blast.

"Ha! Ko ou Ken!" Marco called out again as he fired yet another blast, this time at the spot Ryoga had moved to. The teen had no time to dodge a second attack so soon after the first, and took the full force of the blast colliding into his chest.

'I knew it! My ki blasts are the key to winning this fight!' Marco thought. 'With their speed, I can keep this boy at a distance and pick him off, negating his strength.'

Marco's version of the Ko ou Ken had evolved differently from that of other Kyokugen students. His were explosively powerful compare to the blunt wave of energy normally produced. They were exceptionally fast as well, faster than just about anyone else's save for Master Takuma himself. Marco had become so proficient at it he could fire off one attack right after another, hitting a target twice before they could react. By the same token, he could time them to hit an opponent just as they were getting back on their feet, scoring a quick, powerful blow that left them vulnerable to further attacks.

"Now for the finishing blow!" Marco put his hand together and twisted his body slightly sideways. He began to pull blue ki into his hands and concentrate it into a large ball.

"_Tchau_!Kyokugen Finishing Technique… Haoh Sho Ko Ken!" he fired off a massive burst of blue energy at a speed even greater than that of the previous ki attacks. It traveled towards Ryoga in a matter of seconds, giving him only the briefest of windows to react.

In that time, Ryoga's mind was overcome with one emotion: despair. How could things have gone against him so badly? Here it was for the first time in what had felt like months where he was in total control of a battle, and in an instant he was losing again. How was he ever going to live up to his dreams of overtaking Ranma if he kept on giving away his fights like this? It was all so damn depressing!

It was desperation time. He poured all of that heavy emotions he was feeling into his chi and pushed it outwards into his Shi Shi Hokodan. The green energy ball formed just as Marco's ki attack hit.

"Shi Shi Hokodan!" the Lost Boy cried out as he sent it directly into the Haoh Sho Ko Ken. The clash of energies was terrible, and caused the immediate area to be covered in blinding light, obscuring the audience's view of the results. When it subsided, Ryoga was still standing, a little singed for sure, but still standing nonetheless.

"Yeah! That's it Ryoga! You've got this in the bag!" Ranma cheered from the sidelines. That had looked like Marco's last hurrah. The guy had clearly put a lot into that last attack, and yet he still could not hurt Ryoga. It was unlikely he had anything else that could do the job either. This fight was over; it was just a question of how much longer it would take for Ryoga to finish it.

It was now Marco's turn to despair. His Haoh Sho Ko Ken neutralized by another ki blast? It was unreal; this boy simply had too much power. Marco could continue to dance around him and get in small blows, but what would that accomplish? He would quickly tire, and then the boy would knock him out at his convenience. Maybe a voluntary submission was in order?

'No! I can't do that! It would be utterly disgraceful for me to just quit and walk away! Even if it breaks me, I will continue this to the bitter end.' Marco gritted his teeth.

There was only one choice left now. There was a very good chance that this would not work. Marco had never used this technique before in an actual match. In fact, it was not even clear if he could perform this technique under optimal conditions, but it was his only option left, and he would use it.

Ryoga approached Marco carefully, sensing something was off.

'What in the world is he doing now?' Ryoga thought. 'He should be on his last legs by now, but it seems like his body's ki flow is getting stronger by the second. Is he… drawing ki from the Earth?'

* * *

Outside of the ring, Ranma and Mousse could sense this as well, and were alarmed.

"Oh yeah, this is bad." Ranma said.

"I know that this going to sound stupid, but just how bad is this?" Mousse asked.

Ranma took a deep breath. "He's taking ki from non-living sources like the soil and air. Elder Cologne and I talked about it once, and she said it's one of the most dangerous things a martial artist can try to do, warned me not to try it for another ten years, and left it at that."

"Hmmm, is that so? Well, it's not like there's anything we can do about it."

"You could try sounding a little more concerned!"

"Empathy is cheap Saotome, that's not what Hibiki needs right now anyway."

"So what does he need?" Ranma asked crossly.

"Luck."

* * *

"Marco, you idiot!" Ryo yelled at the TV set.

"He really is going to do the Ranbu." Robert said, his face going pale. "Why do you always have to be right about this stuff?"

Even Yuri was sweating bullets at this point. "But I thought that was impossible. The only way you guys ever learned that technique was by studying under Dad for months! You shouldn't be able to do it otherwise!"

"You're right to a point Yuri. But Dad, Robert, and I have all used the Ranbu in public fights. Marco has watched all of us do it, and a clever guy like him can take a good guess on the principles behind it. I'd been wondering for months if he was trying to learn it, but I could never prove anything one way or the other." Ryo clenched his hands into fists.

"This is my fault. He's my student, and I never explained to him just how serious this all was. I have to take responsibility!" He bolted for the door, but Robert grabbed him.

"What do you think you can do at this point? One way or the other it's going to be over before you can get out there. You said earlier to have faith in those kids to do the right thing… so take your own advice damn it!"

"Rob…" Ryo was shaking with emotion. His friend was right of course, but what was he supposed to do?

Just sit back and watch two men die?

* * *

"Great-grandmother, what is wrong?"

"What is going on down there?" The old woman shook her head. "That man is trying to channel ki from the Earth in his state? Madness!"

Granted, she conceded it was not always a bad tactic to use in battle. A well trained martial artist of proper experience like herself could use it successfully with no ill effects. But this man was already taking in too much, too quickly. It was as if he knew the ingredients to a recipe but had no idea how much was needed of them. At this rate he would blow out his body with all of that excess power. What sort of technique could he be trying to use it for anyway?

* * *

"Hey Tizoc? Remember when you were talking about a man's pride earlier?" Jenet said with a tinge of fear in her voice.

"What part of it are you referring to?" he replied, although he already knew the answer.

"The part where you said it sometimes drives a man to do terrible things. This is one of those situations, isn't it?"

"I am afraid it is Miss Jenet." The giant shook his head in disappointment. "Marco, why could you not take my advice and just enjoy the fight for what it was? I fear you are in over your head now."

* * *

Ryoga jumped back away from Marco, unwilling to attack until he knew what he was dealing with. The sheer amount of power that Marco was channeling at that very minute was astounding! Was he trying to fire off an even larger version of that ki blast from earlier?

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" Marco thrust both of his palms forward, and locked his eyes on Ryoga. "It ends with this! The Kyokugen School Succession Technique: Ryuuko Ranbu!"

End Chapter

_Ah, and so it begins. Writing this kind of material requires a lot of fine tuning. Thankfully I am a little more experienced now then I was last year when I wrote the Ranma vs. Ryo fight, so I believe it did come out well._

_But enough about that, I have some important notes to make for this chapter. First off is Marco's nickname. He has one in canon, "The Black Beast of Karate" but I felt it was inappropriate. I mean, have you seen a picture of him? Yes SNK, Marco is a black guy, we get it. So I changed it to "The Beast From Bauru." In case you were wondering, Bauru is a large city in Sao Paulo state (not to be confused with the city) and the childhood hometown of football (soccer) great Pele. Why I chose goes into my next point._

_You may be wondering just what the heck Marco was going on about when he said he was no carioca. Cariocas are people who come from Rio de Janeiro, and they have a long standing rivalry with people from Sao Paulo. I made Marco a paulista in this fic because he seemed to fit the stereotype: hardworking and more serious than the traditional image of Brazilians. It's nothing big, but I thought it gave a bit of texture to Marco's Brazilian identity, which rarely comes up in the games._

_Also, the chapter takes its name from Marco's awesome theme music. Two versions of it can be heard here:_

_Original: http: / www .youtube. com/ watch? v=iBX47Ace JC4&feature =related_

_Arranged: http: /www .you tube. com/ watch?v= RFPSCSoY Fe0&feature=related_

_On another note, SNN, the network O'Conner works for, is the television station that often reports on the King of Fighters tournaments in universe. I figured they had to be represented in the story somehow, which is how the character of O'Conner was created. Original characters are always a double-edged sword in fanfiction, but in this case I thought it worked out quite well. I might do some more stuff with this guy in later story arcs, provided it does not derail the overall plot._

_Now for reviews (which I have been putting off):_

_Hitokiri Onib: I think you were a little confused by what I wrote. Ryo is not on the same level as Akuma, I was talking about his father Takuma, who is very much is on the same level as those other boss characters you mentioned. Takuma holds back most of the time in order to challenge himself, but when he gets serious… see his final boss form in SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos to get a better idea of what he can do. Brutal stuff._

_And the laser beam that Takuma deflected may not have looked all that scary, but it had just blown up a huge chunk of a random city in a previous cut scene. It goes down as one of the most impressive power stunts anyone in the SNK universe has ever accomplished. In the backstory for the games, even Ryo sees his father as someone with unnatural abilities, and wonders how he could ever live up to that sort of legacy. It's a big part of what defines Ryo's struggle to become a stronger martial artist._

_And I agree Saffron was tough, but he was also an immature brat who had no real combat training. And as writers far more talented than myself have pointed out, Akane (yes, the ever-despised one herself) played a large part in helping Ranma defeat the Phoenix King. It was an amazing accomplishment for Ranma to win, but he was also just plain lucky to come out of that fight alive._

_As for your complaints about Ranma's characterization… you got me there. I realize he's not exactly as Takahashi wrote him. I try to stay in character with him as much as possible, but it does seem like he comes off as a very peevish guy in this story. Well he does act like an ass at times in the manga as well (but not as much as some people would like to believe), so it's not coming out of nowhere, but it could be refined. Your feedback is appreciated however, so keep throwing it at me!_

_Fionn the Otaku: Your suggestions are noted good sir and I will put them in consideration. I may well end up using some of those ideas. Thank you. _

_Next chapter… comes out in four weeks. The schedule slips again, but I had a bout of writer's fatigue back in June that I only broke two weeks ago. As always, it's about having enough time to produce quality writing, or at least something that is marginally readable. I think I can get back on the three week schedule afterwards though, so this should not be a huge delay._

_Lastly, King of Fighters XIII was released in Japan this week. Initial response is very positive over there, which is good considering how much SNK banked on this game. One machine has already been shipped to the U.S. in Los Angeles… which I don't live anywhere near… sigh. Can always hold out for the console release, right? Sigh._

_That's enough from me for now. Until next time, take care!_


	18. The Meaning of Victory

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all associated licensers. The King of Fighters and it associated series are the property of SNK-Playmore and all associated licensers. This is not a work for profit. I claim no rights to the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Continuity for Ranma is mostly derived from the manga, with some of the anime sprinkled in for good measure. Continuity for the King of Fighters is a modified form of the current story, how that is should be explained in story, but I am willing to explain for those with further questions.

Enjoy!

Chapter 18

"It ends with this! The Kyokugen School Succession Technique: Ryuuko Ranbu!"

Marco could feel his body breaking under the strain of trying to control the tremendous power within him. He had to do this quickly, before he lost control of himself. Seeing that Ryoga's guard was lowered, he burst forth with a speed that exceeded anything he had ever previously achieved. His mind let itself succumb to his senses, picking out the weakest spots on his opponent and relentlessly hammering them with blow after blow. It happened so fast, that to an observer it would appear that it was not one man performing the attack but a dozen.

This was the Ryuuko Ranbu, the Jubilant Dance of Dragon and Tiger. A long chain of varied strikes masterfully strung together by the user's natural instincts and fueled by ki drawn from the Earth. Takuma Sakazaki had invented this technique as a young man, and only taught it to those disciples who had reached the rank of black belt in his school.

Marco had spent months studying footage of Ryo using the move in battle in order to gain a better understanding of it. He had originally done it out of curiosity, as by that point he had mastered all of Kyokugen's basic techniques, but was still waiting for his turn to take the examination for black belt. It was not like he had _intended_ to use it in a fight until being properly trained, but Ryoga had pushed him to his absolute limit, and it was the only technique Marco could think of that could break though the boy's extraordinary defenses and knock him out.

Kick, kick, chop, punch, knee, it was all coming together so beautifully. Marco could feel Ryoga's body buckling under the weight of his blows. The exhilaration of gaining the upper hand served well to block out the growing burning pains racing through his body. It seemed very likely to Marco that he would not be able to continue the tournament after this, but at least he would go out on a high note.

Meanwhile, Ryoga could barely collect his thoughts as he continued to weather the furious assault of the Ranbu. It seemed there was nothing he could do. If he raised his arm up to ward off a punch to the jaw, he would instead receive a knee to the stomach, and if he tried to stop a kick to the knees, then he would receive a chop to the shoulder. He could not read his opponent's attacks no matter how hard he tried, and his strength was quickly failing him. Even his body, hardened by the Bakusai Tenketsu training, could not handle so many blows in quick succession. It was the same principle that had allowed Ranma to defeat him with the Amaguriken in what had seemed like a lifetime ago.

'Heh, I'm pretty introspective for a guy getting the crap kicked of him.' Ryoga mused. That thought was cut off when Marco landed another punch to his mouth.

How much longer was this going to last anyway? Ryoga's sense of time may have been distorted with all of the adrenaline going to his head, but it seemed to him like this had been going on for several minutes. Marco's technique seemed to be pushing his body beyond its limits. He should have dropped unconscious from exhaustion by now, but he just kept on going. The amount of willpower needed to go against every natural instinct to rest, it must have been immense. Marco was an amazing opponent; that was for certain. Only Ranma had ever been able to press him like this, with one notable exception.

Oh yes, there was Lime. That was one fight Ryoga would have liked to forget. For his part Ryoga was confident that he was not going to die here, because he already knew that feeling all too well. For all of his griping about how Ranma had made him seen Hell, it was Lime who had almost permanently sent him to the next world. There were no sign of his grandparents yet, so he could be thankful for that much. Still, the thought of Akari watching him get thrashed around like this, it was so shameful he might just as well die...

Wait a moment! That was the key to all of this! It was strange that he could even think of all of this while getting beat up, but it could yet prove the key to victory. It would be a close run thing, no doubt about it, but he had pulled it off once before, and he could do it again!

'Yes, what a depressing thing it all is…"

* * *

"Ryoga!" Akane gasped. She had seen him take some hard beatings in the short time they had known each other, mostly from Ranma, but this one came off as especially savage to her. Her senses as a martial artist may not have been as refined compared to that of her friends, but she could tell that there was something wrong with all this. That Marco guy seemed like he was as bad off as Ryoga, as if every blow he landed was injuring him in process. She did not want to think of the worse, but it seemed possible that they could both end up dying at this rate.

"That is crazy down there." O'Conner mused. "I've seen some other fighters from the Kyokugen school use Ryuuko Ranbu before, but not in that form. I didn't even think it was possible to sustain it for that long." His voice grew increasingly agitated. "I mean Rodriguez has been wailing on the poor kid for three minuets already! When is he going to give it up?"

"Who? Ryoga or this Rodriguez guy?" Nabiki asked. She had to admit that she had never expected things to get so brutal out of the gate. Then again she had never followed the fights between Ranma and his rivals all that carefully back in Nerima, only enough to try and make a profit off of them. Had it always been this bad?

"Both of them!" O'Conner shouted back at her. "It's got to end already!"

"They can't do that." Akane said, her voice charged with emotion. "It's because… It's because the technique is out of control."

"Huh?" Nabiki gave her sister a strange look. "How do you lose control over how to punch or kick?"

"Look, I know what I'm talking about here. Just because I'm not a master doesn't mean I can't tell when a fighter has lost control of himself. That Marco guy used a technique that was too powerful for him to control, and both he and Ryoga could end up dying from it!" Akane had to work very hard not to break down sobbing as she said those words.

"Oh my!" For once, Kasumi was not stating her trademark phrase lightly. Her expression became uncharacteristically grim.

Nabiki grew uneasy. "But… but no one ever dies in these fights. Ryoga get pounded by Ranma at least once a week, and he's back on his feet after an hour. How is this any different?" She noticed Akane was not paying any attention to her. "Hey Akane, I said how is this any diff…"

"Good god Nabiki! I don't have time to explain this all to you!" Akane snapped back at her sister. In an instant, her resolved hardened and she knew what she had to do. "I have to get down there!"

"What? That's crazy, you can't interrupt the fight! And don't even think about getting fresh with me!"

"Uh ladies, I hate to interrupt this touching family moment, but I'm going to have to suggest that going down to the ring right now would be a _bad_ idea." O'Conner's eyes were wide in shock as he looked out the window.

Akane and Nabiki both turned to see what had captured the reporter's attention, and quickly understood. That green glow, that unmistakable green glow. A pillar of green light now hovered above the ring.

"The Perfect Shi Shi Hokodan. I understand Ryoga… I said I would believe in you, and I'll continue to do so." Akane took a deep breath. It was time to see what a martial artist in full control of his techniques could do.

* * *

Ranma stared up at the pillar of green light before him and swallowed hard.

'It's hard to believe Ryoga can muster that sort of power even when being so hard pressed. I don't even understand how he managed to do it! The level of concentration alone… but then he always had me beat when it came to raw endurance too.'

Once again Ryoga had reminded Ranma of why he would always be his greatest rival, no matter how many other amazing fighters he would meet in the future.

"Looks like some men make their own luck." Mousse said, not so much speaking to Ranma but for his own reference.

Across the field, Jenet and Tizoc looked on in wonder.

"What sort of attack is that supposed to be?" the pirate said, slightly terrified.

"A magnificent one, Miss Jenet. Does anything else need to be said?"

* * *

Ryoga continued to soak up the blows his opponent unleashed upon him. Marco seemed oblivious to what was happening above, as if possessed by a demon, and pressed on with unceasing ferocity. It did not matter at this point anyway. Whether this succeeded or failed was all in Ryoga's hands, no one else's.

'This is the only way, the only option I have left! If the Perfect Shi Shi Hokodan doesn't work, I'm as good as dead!'

Ryoga continued to allow the negative thoughts bubble up from the darkest recesses of his mind.

'Is this how it's going to end for me? Accidentally beaten to death by some guy I just met ten minutes ago? In front of all of my friends? It's pathetic! Totally pathetic! I let everyone down. Akari… Akane… Ranma… what the hell, I'll throw Mousse in too. And the shame I'll bring to my family, provided they ever find a TV or newspaper where they can read about all this…'

With each negative thought, Ryoga's chi grew heavier and heavier.

'I'm a failure as a martial artist! I can never get ahead. I look stupid, like a half-rotten banana! My hair is a mess! I have no sense of direction! People make fun of my teeth!'

He was almost there, he could feel it. Just one more thing to put him over the top, and boy was it ever a good one.

'And oh yeah, I sometimes turn into a lousy helpless pig… all because I get wet!'

That was it, now was the time to strike.

With great effort, Ryoga willed the great ball of ki in the sky above to descend on his position. As it soared downwards with astonishing speed, Ryoga took the last step and cleansed his mind and soul of any lingering negative thoughts. In his moment of clarity, he managed to catch Marco's latest attack, a high kick to the head.

"You were wrong Marco, it all ends with _this_: Shi Shi Hokodan!"

The pillar of light descended upon them, engulfing both of their forms. The impact created a deafening crash that drowned out all other sounds. It continued this way for what seemed like an eternity to any bystanders, although in reality it was only a few seconds.

When the light faded, Marco laid face first on the ground, knocked clear unconscious by the impact of the Shi Shi Hokodan. The people packed in the arena went silent, in awe of the awesome display of power they had just witnessed.

"Heh, it worked." Ryoga said, a slight smile forming at his lips, a second before he collapsed unceremoniously to the ground.

"Ryoga!" Ranma and Mousse screamed as they broke the silence. They both rushed over to his prone form. Ranma picked the Lost Boy up gently, checking for any wounds.

"Is Hibiki alright? Should we get him a doctor?" Mousse asked.

"He's breathing." Ranma replied with a smile. "This is Ryoga we're talking about here. I bet you anything he'll be back on his feet in no time. Let's just get him out of the ring." And together the two carefully helped their unconscious teammate back to their side of the arena.

A moment later Ryoga began to stir.

"Ranma… Ouch!" he flinched in pain. His whole body was sore from the hundreds of blows he had taken, but he felt otherwise intact. "You took me out of the ring?"

"Yeah, don't hold it against me. That was something. you knocked that Rodriguez guy out cold with your Shi Shi Hokodan. He never saw it coming." Ranma smiled warmly as he gave the news.

Mousse was less enthusiastic. "Unfortunately, now it won't be a surprise for future opponent. I can't fault you for having to use it, but it does put us at somewhat of a disadvantage to use our best attacks so early in the tournament."

"Give me a break." Ranma said dismissively. "We've got plenty more from where that came from. We're no one trick ponies. And thanks to Ryoga, we're ahead."

"Notice though they haven't called it officially."

"Huh? What's that supposed to prove? Give them a moment."

Marco meanwhile was still out cold, and Tizoc came over to his side to check on him.

"Marco… Marco. Are you in there?"

"Uh, what?" the Brazilian stirred ever so slightly in response to his friend's booming voice.

"Huh, you are very lucky my friend. If that boy had not stopped you, I believe you would have literally fought to your last breath."

"He stopped me? Then the Ranbu failed." Marco silently cursed himself for his weakness. He knew it had been a terrible gamble, but to lose control like that, he had brought nothing but shame to his school.

Tizoc picked Marco up over his shoulder like a child. "Perk up my valiant comrade! You lost this day, but you learned a valuable lesson."

"Not to use forbidden techniques?"

"Wonderful! Glad you understand! And understanding is half the battle!"

"Are you for real? I knew that before chicken-man, I just had a lapse of judgment is all." Marco muttered. Okay, it was a _huge_ lapse of judgment. But did that crazy luchador always have to try and turn these things into corny public service announcements?

Tizoc looked up dramatically to the sky. "And to think you learned your lesson all thanks to that kid with the funny banana bandana. Truly, we have much to learn from the children." He raised his free arm in a grand sweeping gesture. "I could weep manly tears just thinking about it."

"Please don't, I think we look silly enough as it is." Marco closed his eyes. "So what's next?"

At that moment the announcer's voice broke over the speakers.

"Attention everyone, excuse us for the delay, but the judges have been in intense deliberation over how to call this match, and have come to their decision. The result is… a draw! No points awarded."

As if on cue, the booing started.

* * *

"A draw! What kind of decision is that?" Akane was fuming. "Ryoga clearly knocked his opponent out first. He should be the clear winner!"

"He did lose consciousness, but it is clear Rodriguez was knocked out first." O'Conner said thoughtfully. "That was a bad call by the judges, and a tough break for your friends."

"Right! Those judges must be crooked!"

"Look at the bright side." Kasumi said cheerfully. "Ryoga was able to stop that man, and it's only a draw. It's not as if Ranma is now at a disadvantage."

Her older sister's words did seem to have a calming effect on Akane.

"What did that lady say?" asked O'Conner, unable to understand Japanese.

"Oh, sorry about that," Akane turned back to the reporter. "My older sister said the tie won't hurt our team's chances for victory."

"Ah, I see. She's right to an extent, but it does mean that the remaining matches are even more important now. Both team captains have yet to be picked, and either one losing could mean the end for their team."

Nabiki meanwhile was fuming in the back of the VIP lounge.

'I never counted on a draw for the first match. I didn't put that much money on it, but it's the principle of the thing!'

She willed herself to control her emotions. This was nothing, gambling by its nature meant that some losses would be incurred. She would just have to be more careful on the next one. Nabiki turned her eye on O'Conner.

"So Mr. Reporter, how do you feel things stand currently? How do the remaining fighters match up?"

O'Conner shot his head towards Nabiki. "I told you earlier Miss, I'm not a gambler. And didn't I just pay you a whole bunch of money a little while back? How greedy can you get? Why don't you go buy yourself something over at the concession stand to tide you over? Leave the people who actually appreciate this stuff alone for a while."

"Humph, you Americans are really blunt, you know that? You don't have the slightest bit of tack."

"I'm _Irish_."

"Oh? Is that why you sound so funny?" Nabiki said mockingly. "I thought you were from Texas."

"Arghhh!" O'Conner turned back to the window. Damn it all if he was going to waste any more time than he already had arguing with this shrew. He had to admit though, the Saotome team was more amazing than he could ever have previously imagined.

Living around Nabiki Tendo on a daily basis? No wonder these guys were so tough.

* * *

Ryo, Robert, and Yuri sat in awe as they watched the replay of the final moments of the last battle, carefully analyzing what happened.

"That was something new." Robert mused, inadvertently breaking the tense silence. "Ryoga is good, easily on Ranma's level. A ki attack directed from above? We could never have done that at their age. I wonder what the Master would think about it."

"I know. I should be angry that our school lost," Yuri said. "But that was an amazing finish right there. You were right bro, these guys are _that good_."

Ryo was focused on another point, something he had noticed as the attack was first being formed. He had been a good distance away from the action, but that feeling he sensed, it had been unmistakable. An emotion fueled ki attack, just like Ranma's! But this one tapped into emotions far darker than the one Ranma had used, and it showed in just how powerful it was.

'You walk a thin line there, Ryoga Hibiki. Most martial artists would never dare to go where you do, but it seems you're more than capable of handling the consequences. Maybe Marco should be looking to you as a teacher instead of me.'

"Those judges may not recognize you as the victor, but this day, I salute you as the better man." Ryo rose to his feet. "Osu!"

Robert and Yuri quickly followed him.

"Osu!"

* * *

"I knew they were going screw us." Mousse said as he shook his head. "There's an old amazon saying that goes along the lines of, 'If the victory is not obvious to all, then it's not a victory.'"

"Well I thought it was damn obvious!" Ranma shouted. "They robbed Ryoga. I oughta run up there and give 'em a piece of my mind!"

"Save yourself the trouble, you don't even know where 'there' is. Also, your grammar is slipping again."

Ranma tried to think of a response to that, but had to concede that once again Mousse was right about something. That was happening way too often these days for Ranma's comfort.

"Guys, just leave it be." Ryoga finally said. By now he had regained enough strength to sit upright.

"Ryoga, you can't tell me your fine with this?" Ranma asked.

"No, I'm not. But I'm also used to having victory snatched away from me." Ryoga's hair had fallen over his eyes, concealing his expression.

"However, this fight is not over. You… you can still win this for all of us. Don't let what happened to me throw you off your game. Strike hard from the beginning, and don't hold anything back. That was my mistake. Do that, and we can move on to the next round; then I can redeem myself."

Ryoga slowly raised his open palm towards Ranma and curled into a fist, his eyes finally making contact with his rival again.

"Next time, there will be _no _doubt when I defeat my opponent. Do you understand?"

Ranma smiled. "You got it buddy. Your fight will not have been in vain."

The two then clasped hands in an expression of solidarity.

"Funny, why do I suddenly have the feeling of being left behind?" Mousse said sourly.

"Excuse me Mousse, I did forget about you." Ryoga cleared his throat. "Don't mess this up for me, or I'll pound you into the dirt later."

It was at that time Mousse came to the conclusion it was sometimes better to be left behind.

The speakers flared to life once more.

"Attention, we are now selecting the next two competitors for matchup. Fighters, please get ready."

'Who's it going to be now?' Ranma thought. 'Is it my turn?'

Two more names flashed green on the giant monitor.

"The next round will be between Mous-say… "

"It's _Mousse_." The amazon tired to correct the announcer in vain.

"…versus Bonne Jenet! Please note that since Ms. Jenet is her team's captain, a loss by her would score two points for her opponents."

"Looks like it up to me to pull us ahead." Mousse said with a dramatic flick of his hair. Yes, the cameras were on him now. Time to play up to the crowd, this was his moment. The world would now learn the power of a hidden-weapons master.

"Just don't forget your glasses. I wouldn't want you to lose accidently by tripping on your face or something."

"Damn it Saotome, I am more than capable of fighting without my glasses."

"Uh sir, are you talking to me?" a very confused camera man asked nervously.

"Oh geez," Ranma shook his head. "I'd better start warming up now. I'm guessing this is going to be a _short_ match."

"Silence Saotome, you should be grateful it was I who was picked for this battle. After all, you get so hung up about having to hit women."

Ranma threw his hands up in protest. "Hey, don't use that against me! It's just I have standards is all. I'll only fight a girl if I happen to be in my… other form. Unlike you I fight fair."

"So that's what this is about? If you have such issues with me and my 'unfair' tactics, we could look into a substitution. Now where is that hose of mine?" Mousse's hand moved around in his sleeve suggestively.

"Don't even think about it." Ranma was really starting to get angry now. "Just get up there already, and remember what Ryoga said."

'How little my supposed 'leader' thinks of me.' The amazon thought casually leaped into the ring. 'You would think he wants me to lose.'

He would just have to make Saotome eat his words, now wouldn't he?

* * *

"How disappointing, this isn't the one I wanted to fight at all."Jenet idly scratched the back of her head as she spoke, looking profoundly unladylike. "Why did it have to be the one in the glasses? The ponytailed kid is a lot cuter!"

Tizoc had only just finished helping Marco receive help from the medical staff, and was walking back to her side as she spoke.

"Huh? What is that now, not happy with your choice of opponent? No offense, Miss Jenet, but that seems a little silly, even for you. I've heard women these days are really picky about what kind of man they want, but this takes it to a new level."

"Oh be quiet," Jenet stuck her hands on her hips. "This is a big moment for me."

"You've been down this path more than once before and have come out on top. I know you will do well." Tizoc nodded his head as he spoke, as if the act itself affirmed the truth of his words.

"Thanks Tizoc-baby," she grinned "You know when you're not hamming it up you're pretty cool… What the hell are you doing?"

Before she had even finished her sentence, Tizoc had gone off into another bout of dramatic posing.

"Yes Miss Jenet! Think of all of your fans out there, and let their smiling faces power your convictions to victory! There is nothing you cannot accomplish in this world when you have faith in yourself! It's a beautiful thing, no?"

"Okay, you can shut up now."

"As you wish Miss Jenet." Tizoc said, brushing off her harsh words with his typical good humor. A hero of justice knows not to overplay his message after all.

'But Miss Jenet, I do hope you take my words into consideration.' He thought as she walked into the ring.

* * *

"Things move quite quickly at this tournament, don't they?" Akane looked as the next two fighters took their places. "They barely cleared out the ring and now the next match is about to start.

O'Conner, who had been busy taking down notes in his journal raised his head up and responded.

"That's how things tend to work at the King of Fighters tournaments. You should have seen it back when it was organized as a straight out endurance test. Two fighters would start a match, and when one was beaten, a fresh team member would replace him. They would keep on going like that until an entire team had been defeated. Sometimes it was literally a case of victory going to the last man standing. And don't even get me started on the tag matches, those were downright chaotic."

"Maybe you can tell me more about that later. But right now I'd like to ask you what kind of person is this Jenet woman?" Akane said this while looking at the blond pirate's image on the monitor.

In Akane's estimation, Jenet didn't look like that much of a fighter. What with her provocative clothing, heavy makeup, and sloppy posture she looked more like some party girl ready for a night on the town. Even Shampoo tended to tone down her appearance if she knew she was going to get into a real scuffle. Why Jenet made the purple-haired amazon whore seem like a paragon of modesty in comparison!

"Why do you ask? You're not asking me this on behalf of your sister?" O'Conner took a distrustful look back at Nabiki, who stuck her tongue out at him and stomped off.

"It's nothing like that!" Akane said defensively. "I'm a martial artist too you know, and I want to learn more about all of these different fighters." While she did not intend it, her eyes revealed an eager look that spoke volumes about her intense interest in the subject.

O'Conner chuckled. "I see, well I can't turn down a request like that," he quickly flipped through his notebook to the relevant page. "Let's see now. First of all, I can tell you her real name is not Bonne Jenet. It's Jennie Behrn. She's English by nationality, twenty years old…"

"Behrn?" said Nabiki, who had snuck up on O'Conner at the first available opportunity. "Now where have I heard that name before?"

In a feeling of déjà vu, something in her mind clicked. "Oh you have to be kidding me! Another one? It was enough with Garcia!"

"Let me guess, she's filthy rich?" Akane deadpanned, already guessing the answer.

"Tea and spices, plus diversified assets in other service industries throughout Western Europe," Nabiki sighed. "What is wrong with these people anyway? Is there a certain point where money makes you go crazy and gives you the desire to be slapped around by weirdoes?"

"Well Jenet's not your ordinary rich girl by any stretch of the imagination," O'Conner reentered the conversation, annoyed that Nabiki had again tried to hijack it. "She wants to earn her own fortune, prove that she's her own woman. So after her grandfather died, she took some of her inheritance and formed a pirate crew. Now she sails across the world in search of adventure and treasure."

"_Because that's exactly how any reasonable person would do it if they inherited a boatload of money_." Nabiki could feel a throbbing feeling forming at her temples. "As I said, what is wrong with these people?"

"Takes all kinds I guess." O'Conner shrugged. "As for her fighting ability, it's surprisingly high. She uses a modified form of Savate, that's a form of kickboxing native to France. Based on her recent performance in other competitions, I would say she's a formidable opponent."

The reporter gained an idea, and smiled. "But there is a missing element in my analysis: the fighting ability of her opponent," he turned to Akane. "So let me ask you Miss Tendo, you know how your friends fight, in your opinion how do you think this Mous-say guy will do?"

Akane scratched her head, trying to think of a good way to phrase things. "Mousse is not your typical martial artist. His style uses concealed weapons, and that can be very hard to counter if you've never seen it before. Overall however, he's not as strong as Ryoga, less skilled than Ranma, and slower than both of them. To put it bluntly he's the weakest member of the team. If Jenet is at least as strong as Mr. Rodriguez, then she has a good chance of beating him."

She had not intended for her assessment to come out so harshly against Mousse, but it was no doubt affected by her ambivalence towards the man. Akane did not like to admit it, but she really did not consider Mousse a friend, or even an enemy for that matter. He just seemed to be… around for lack of a better description. It was Ranma who had to deal with his antics most of the time anyway.

"Very interesting ," O'Conner scribbled down all of the information down into his notes. "You're very perspective Miss Tendo, and honest too. Instead of being a martial artist, maybe you should consider a career in journalism?"

"Me?" Akane grew flustered. "I never really thought of it."

Her thoughts were drawn back to when Ranma made his offer several months before.

'Work alongside me to revive the school. You're the only person I can trust with it.' That had been the gist of Ranma's words. But where were things going? It's not like Akane had been directly involved in most of the events leading up to the tournament, and even now she was a spectator to the whole thing.

Even worse was that Akane could honestly concede she had no real place in the tournament as a competitor. Just watching the first match between Ryoga and Marco had swept away any illusions on where she stood as a martial artist. She was a novice in so many areas of combat it brought her to the edge of despair.

'I guess it's just silly to be so wrapped up in my problems when there is so much going on. If I right, it's Mousse who in real trouble here.' She sighed.

"Akane, aren't you going to watch?" Kasumi asked.

"Yeah!" Akane said as she pushed all of those bad thoughts out of her mind.

Yes, her own problems would have to wait.

* * *

Mousse waited impatiently for Jenet to meet him in the center of the ring.

'Look at her dragging along. Is she trying to make a mockery of this battle?'

"Why did I have to get stuck fighting four-eyes?" Jenet moaned within earshot of the amazon. "The other guy is so much cuter." She continued shuffling forward as it she was walking to her own execution.

"You have got to be kidding." The amazon chose then to remove his glasses. Not that he really cared what this hussy thought he looked like, but he wanted to set the record straight about who was the best looking member on his team. Okay, so maybe that meant he did sort of care, just not in a way that soiled the pure, undying love he held for Shampoo. No, not in the slightest, and shame on anyone who even thought that way.

As if on cue, Jenet took full notice of Mousse's fine features without his coke glasses. She was impressed to put it mildly. Maybe this fight would be not so bad after all…

"Look at this! It seems I misjudged you Poindexter. You're a real cutie without those glasses!" she gushed. "If you were just a couple of years older you would be perfect for me. Still, maybe you would be interested in joining my crew in the meantime? My Lillien Knights are always looking for a few good men... and if you can put up a fight, so much the better!"

Jenet leered at Mousse suggestively, and blew a kiss at him.

Mousse's first response was a look of stony distain, which quickly morphed into smug superiority. Jenet seemed unimpressed by his act.

"What's the matter stud? A woman gives you a compliment and you stand there like a slack-jawed idiot? You're not going to get very far in the world with that attitude, darling."

"You think you can get me off my game with some bits of flattery mixed in with insults?" He flung his hair back over his shoulders. "You think too highly of yourself, and I have no use for vulgar women like you. Let me make this clear: there is room in my heart for only one love! SHAMPOO, MY DARLING! I COMMENERATE MY IMMIENT VICTORY TO YOU!"

He punctuated his statement by opening his sleeves, allowing several fireworks to shoot into the air. They exploded in a blast of purple sparks. The audience, not quite understanding what this was all about, cheered at what they assumed was a display for their entertainment (and to promote clean, healthy hair).

"Wherever you are my love, know that I am always thinking of you!"

* * *

"…

"MOUUUSSSSSSEEEE!"

The nerve of that idiotic duck! To humiliate her so! That nobody understood what the hell he was talking about was completely beside the point!

"What's going on over there?" a panicked spectator cried out in terror.

"Some purpled-haired woman is going ballistic!" another man replied. "Someone call security before she does something dangerous!"

"Calm yourself child!" Cologne put her staff out in front of her great-granddaughter to retrain her. The old woman repressed a sigh; she really should have seen this coming the moment Mousse had a chance to fight.

"Stupid, stupid, _stupid_ duck! I make you into next dinner special for Nekohanten! I put you over spit and roast you until you golden-brown and crispy! I pickle your worthless eyes and…"

"Oh my god, now she's threatening to kill a poor innocent duck and cook him right here in the stadium! Who let this nutcase in?" said a woman who looked like she was about to collapse in terror.

"Why does it always have to be the pretty ones?" a man shook his head knowingly.

"Mom was right, I should have just stayed back home in Cincinnati and watched this thing on TV." A third person chimed in.

"I guess she just really hates hair care products." Another woman suggested. "Although with hair like hers, I don't know how she thinks she can get away with not using it."

Cologne finally decided to lay down the law.

"Do you have any idea how you look to everyone around you child? You are making a fool of yourself. This is not China, nor is it Nerima. The rules here are different and you would be wise to start following them, unless you want to be thrown out and miss your husband's upcoming match."

Shampoo noticed the hundreds of people now gawking at her due to her outburst. Funny, back in Nerima everyone seemed to be alright with her letting off a little steam in public. What was up with this place? Still, her great-grandmother did have a point. She should smooth out this problem before it led to further complications. Guess it was time to rely on some ancient amazon methods of diplomacy.

"What you people looking at, huh?" she snapped at them. "You have problem with Shampoo? I ready to hear you out, just first come over and say to my face." To punctuate her point, she quickly cracked her knuckles

No one dared to answer her challenge.

"Shampoo guess there no problem here then. Carry on, honorable foreign devils, enjoy the show."

Cologne resisted the urge to crack her great-granddaughter's head with her staff, as at least the matter had been settled to satisfaction. She would definitely have to have a talk with the girl later about the protocol on using ancient amazon methods of diplomacy. They had not been used by the tribe for six centuries for a reason.

"Well enough of that," she said. "Now, let's see if the part-time worker can earn his keep."

* * *

As Mousse finished up his little show, Jenet stood speechless… for about two seconds.

"Now I know you're never getting anywhere with a woman, seeing as how you're a basket case. What a shame." Her features hardened.

"Oh well, I guess it's about time I kick your ass and move on!" she leaned forward aggressively, not quite striking a combat pose, but looking quite dangerous regardless.

Mousse only responded with another malevolent smile.

"Are the fighters ready?" the announcer began. "Okay! Round two, goooooooooo!"

Jenet was quick to seize the initiative. She surged forward with tremendous confidence, throwing a quick series of kicks towards Mousse's legs and lower body. They were safe attacks, good for keeping him on the defensive while she evaluated his abilities as a fighter.

Her fighting style more or less revolved around striking first, not giving the enemy a chance to react. It kept the stronger opponents from being able to build up their momentum. If the opponent was faster than her… well she had methods for handling that as well, but there was no way she was going to show off her best techniques at the start of the match.

Mousse countered the attacks well enough, slapping down each incoming kick with his hands. From Jenet's view however, he seemed to be having a hard time judging where the blow would land until the last second.

"His hand-eye coordination isn't up to par,' she thought. 'Not surprising considering he must be legally blind several times over. Enough of this, time to mix things up.'

She then made a feint, acting as if she was going to throw another kick at his knee, but at the last moment stopped and took a powerful swing with her left arm at his head. As she expected, he took the bait, leaving himself wide open…

And then she felt the shock of something cold and sharp jamming into her right shoulder. The jolt of pain left Jenet so surprised she lost her balance and tumbled to the ground. She took control of her fall and used the momentum to put some distance between herself and Mousse. Taking a quick glance at her the shoulder, she could see a sizable gash had appeared.

'What in the world, he tricked me?' was all she could think as she rose to her feet. 'The bastard played me!'

'What did he do?' she asked herself, looking at the wound, applying pressure to it in order to reduce the bleeding. There was no doubt about, he had stabbed her with something, but what? She had been only a foot away from him when he struck, and she had not seen any weapons on him, not even a faint glimmer of metal.

"So what did you just do you naughty boy?" Jenet asked. "Did you conceal a knife on you or something?"

"A knife?" the amazon said haughtily. "Give more credit than that. I think it was a spear, or maybe it was a halberd. It was probably some kind of polearm. I keep a lot of weapons concealed in my robes you see, and sometimes I'm just not very particular about which one I pull out for an attack, especially when I'm dealing with weak opponents."

Jenet rose back up to her feet. It all made sense now. She had heard a few stories in her travels, but to actually come up against it…

"So you're a hidden-weapon user? I thought you guys only existed in legend. You're definitely every bit as nasty as they say."

"You know it seems a lot of people have issues with my style." Mousse opened his sleeves to reveal that he had donned a pair of iron claws on his hands. "But it seems to me they're just too stupid to bring their own weapons to a battle. Warriors should be ready to use any tools necessary they need to secure victory, and that's all there is to it."

He drove home his point by jumping high into the air, coming down on Jenet like a tiger lunging on his prey. She dashed forward to avoid the claws, only to have to duck at the last second as he extended a powerful kick at her face. She belatedly noted that his feet were now covered in razor-sharp metal talons as well.

When the hell had he found the time to put those on?

Seeing that he had managed to put his opponent off her guard and wound her, Mousse next did what came naturally to him: he decided to gloat over his accomplishment. Now one might claim this was throwing away a golden opportunity to press a major advantage, but then again Mousse never was quite as smart as his glasses might have implied.

"To be honest, I'm disappointed. Ranma was making such a big deal about this tournament, and I assumed that as a team captain you would prove to be a challenging opponent. But no such luck, I instead find myself fighting a moronic, lazy foreigner with no style whatsoever. Where I come from, the women are more often than not greater warriors than the men, but fools like you show how that is a sad exception in the world."

Oh yes, that would show her who was the better martial artist around here. So you can imagine how surprised the young amazon was when his insults were met with nothing but mocking laughter.

"Little boy gets in one good hit and he thinks this fight is already over." Jenet said calmly, before injecting increasing anger into her voice. "You idiot! Underestimating my skills will be your first and last mistake! You use hidden weapons? Ha, I think I can one up you on that, lover boy."

Mousse also noticed that Jenet had taken advantage of his long-winded tirade to tear off a piece of her dress and tie it around her wound and regain her composure.

"Now I'll show you the secret to _my_ style. Keeps those glasses on honey, it's going to be quite a show."

* * *

Ryoga shook his head, feeling a combination of anger and pity for Mousse. He knew that idiot was going to blow his advantage. From all of their time sparring, he had learned that Mousse could never keep that fat mouth of his shut long enough to do what he had to, all his talk of a "warrior's killer instinct" aside.

"So why did you want him on your team again?" he asked Ranma rhetorically.

Ranma however was too caught up in his own thoughts to notice.

'Damn it! How could he just throw his advantage away like that? I don't even gloat that much during a fight… most of the time,' he caught himself. 'You're just going to throw your advantage away? I never thought much of you as a person Mousse, but I did think you were a smarter fighter than this.'

He could not contain himself any longer.

"Stop messing around already!" Ranma screamed out at the top of his lungs. "Do you want to screw this up or something?"

"Saotome…" Mousse began, ready to scold the pigtailed boy, but he never got a chance.

In that moment of distraction, Jenet walked up casually towards her opponent. Suddenly, she made a wide sweeping motion with her left arm towards Mousse, missing by a wide margin despite catching him off guard. At first it seemed to be nothing more than a clumsy and ill-planned strike…

"What was that woman? Is this supposed your style's secret technique? Pathetic."

…But only a few seconds later the results became clear.

"Dahhhh!" Mousse gasped as he was knocked to the ground. His robes were shredded to pieces in several places by an unseen force, and small amounts of blood oozed out from freshly made wounds.

Jenet stood over her opponent, admiring her work.

"Want to take a wild guess what happened just now, darling?" the pirate teased. "I'll give you a hint: no matter how thick your glasses are, you'll never be able to see my attacks coming."

To bring home her point, she charged forward at him again, but stopped only a few inches from his chest.

"Heigh-ho, sailor." She waved her hand again.

Mousse was sent reeling back as if he had been hit by a car. He hit the ground hard and gave off a few staggered grunts of agony as he tried to regain his balance. Jenet gave him no respite, dashing towards him and slamming her knee into his ribcage several times. Mousse's strength failed him as he collapsed in a heap.

"Take this!" Jenet called out again as she used _Buffrass_, her favorite long-distance attack. The invisible force slammed into Mousse three times in rapid succession, further beating him into the ground.

"One more good blow ought to finish this." The pirate said confidently.

'Shampoo!' Mousse thought desperately as he tried to stay conscious. ' Do not give up on me! I swore I would win this battle for you… and I will!'

* * *

Cologne had been watching the match with increasing trepidation. The wizened old master had suspected that the blond foreigner had been hiding her true ability from the beginning, and sure enough the moment Mousse lowered his guard he was punished for it. Every time that Cologne had hoped that Mousse would show some common sense in his strategy, he disappointed her.

Deciding to take a quick look over at Shampoo, Cologne was equally disappointed to see the girl was unmoved by what was unfolding in the ring below.

"I would think you would show some concern for a fellow amazon warrior in peril, my child. Regardless of your personal feeling about him, he is one of our own."

"Aiya, what's the big deal great-grandmother? The idiot got himself into a real mess, again." Shampoo said in Mandarin. "That's what he gets for being a showoff."

"You realize that the reputation of the village is at stake in all of this?" Cologne rebuked her. "You should not take this so lightly child."

"Eh, it's not a big deal. Mousse is not officially representing the village in this fight is he? That deal you made with him was verbal only. If it somehow comes up with the others elders at some point, you could claim he went rouge. It would be our word against his, and he has few allies outside of his immediate family. The only thing at stake here is that buffoon's oversized ego, and that could stand to take a good hit."

"And what if Mousse's loss were to cost son-in-law's team the whole match?" Not that it would work against Cologne's plans if that happened, but she was curious to see how Shampoo viewed it.

"No, I know Airen will win his fight, and the match. Coming from behind to win… that's his specialty." Shampoo's face glowed as she thought of her beloved husband conquering his foes.

"You take a very simple view of things. This is only the first round, and Mousse would be participating in any future battles as well."

"Well then he should get his butt in gear before he suffers another beating. It's all on his head how much he suffers; he should know that better than anyone."

"That is a very uncompromising view you hold," was Cologne's only response.

She had to give some credit to Shampoo. The child certainly was developing the streak of ruthlessness any good leader needed for survival, but sadly it was not being tempered by the impartiality and reason such a leader needed as well. Her bias was all too clear, and her judgment was being clouded by it as well.

'Not a good day for the future of _N__ǚ__jiézú_,' the old woman concluded sadly. 'Not a good day at all.'

* * *

"How sad, you're a lot more delicate than you look," Jenet gloated. "Guess I'll show you some mercy and end this."

Jenet leaped high into the air, and at the apex of her jump…

"GULF TOMAHAWK!" she screamed as she began soaring back down to earth.

'Only one chance to make this work.' Mousse thought as he saw her dive right at him.

He threw half a dozen large pellets from his sleeves up into the air, where they burst into thick black smoke that obscured Jenet's view of him. As her attack cut through the smoke screen, the pirate noticed that dozens of flying iron darts had been launched at her as well. In a moment of pure defensive instinct, Jenet redirected the force of her attack to counter the darts, knocking all of them out of air before a single one could reach her. She allowed herself a small sigh of relief, knowing full well just how much danger she had been in.

'Good job there boy, you almost had me with that one. But I won't mess up with the next attack. You just pushed your defeat back by a few minutes at best, that's all.'

Mousse meanwhile had carefully watched Jenet response to his moves. His mind, keenly tuned to the properties of his many weapons, took particular note of _how_ the darts had been deflected. Given that they had only been knocked away instead of destroyed outright, and the angles that they had been knocked away at… yes, it was all beginning to make sense now.

He grinned as the realization came to him. It was now clear how he was going to win this battle.

"Going to face your defeat with a smile? That's the spirit!" Jenet said as she readied herself for another attack.

"My defeat? I think you are mistaken, woman. I've just won this match. The secret to your techniques? I've figured it out, and so your chances at victory have now vanished."

Jenet would have been furious at the amazon's boast if she had not found it so ridiculous.

"You think you can win you silly boy?" she giggled. "Your defiance is cute in a way, even when it has no basis in reality."

"One minute."

"What?"

"One minute is all I need to beat you now… start counting."

End Chapter

_Not a whole lot to say about this chapter. I spent a good amount of time revising the fight sequences so that they would flow better, but I wonder if they end up coming out a little short because of that. Which brings me to this point:_

_Senzetzu: Yes, there is a lot of talking in these chapters, but I felt it was necessary in order to make this story readable. I mean, six, seven, or eight solid pages of martial artists trading blows with one another sounds like a good read in theory, but in practice it's dry, very dry. That's my opinion anyway. It's an ongoing process, so I'll be looking to refine it as I move forward._

_For everybody else who has been reviewing and adding me to their favorites list, thank you. It's good to know that even after all of these months people are still interested in this story._

_So here is the bad news. It's going to take me another four weeks to get the next chapter ready. I just can't seem to squeeze these chapters out as quickly as I used to. It's not writer's block or anything like that .It just seems that the pace of writing has slowed down on a day-to-day basis. The good news is that in the past week I managed to write quite a bit, so I am still on a consistent schedule it nothing else. Maybe this time I'll even pull ahead. A guy can dream, right?_

_Well, until next time, take care!_


	19. The Pirate and the Amazon

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all associated licensers. The King of Fighters and it associated series are the property of SNK-Playmore and all associated licensers. This is not a work for profit. I claim no rights to the characters. This is a work of fiction.

Continuity for Ranma is mostly derived from the manga, with some of the anime sprinkled in for good measure. Continuity for the King of Fighters is a modified form of the current story, how that is should be explained in story, but I am willing to explain for those with further questions.

Enjoy!

Chapter 19

Jenet looked at Mousse incredulously. How could this punk claim that he was going to beat her in under a minute? Preposterous!

"I don't know what you think you've discovered boy, but it's not going to save you, let alone help you defeat me."

"Oh, but it will." Mousse tilted his head slightly to the side, as if he was studying something. "Tell me woman, what do you know about ki manipulation?"

"About as much as anyone else." The pirate replied nonchalantly. "You put the key in the lock and turn it to open the door."

"Very droll, but you know very well what I'm talking about." He shot her the severe look of a schoolteacher who had caught his student cheating. "I think you are a very talented manipulator of ki. Far more so then me or my teammates."

"What?" Ranma yelled from the sidelines. "You're the one who can't use it to save his life! Don't go and lump me in with your failures!"

Ryoga was not going to remain silent on the issue either.

"I'd like to see her try to match my Shi Shi Hokodan! I've knocked out Ranma with it!"

"Those fights didn't count!" the pigtailed boy desperately countered. "Once I figured out how to counter it, those fights didn't count!"

"You two are getting me off track!" Mousse snapped at both of them without looking back. Quickly regaining his composure, he moved the conversation forward. "Now as I was saying, I believe you to be a skilled manipulator of ki, that indeed all of your attacks against me involved the use of ki."

"What is he talking about?" Ryoga asked Ranma. "I didn't feel her use any ki. Even assuming she wasn't drawing from her emotions, we should have been able to sense something."

Ranma shook his head. "I don't know where he's going with this, but I don't think he's just blowing hot air. I wanna hear more."

Mousse made a small waving gesture with his hand. "The wind, it's been kicking up for the past few moments, hasn't it. Strange, because until then there had been no breeze at all."

As he said that, Mousse saw Jenet unconsciously begin to tense up in her arms and neck, her body language betraying her silence. As he had expected, his instincts had been correct.

"So let me guess, you use small amounts of ki concentrated in your hands to stir up the wind? Invisible, efficient, hard to detect and highly effective; I guess you are a capable warrior after all… for a floozy."

"Bravo, nerd boy." Jenet said in mock praise, clapping her hands to heighten the effect. "You have my techniques figured out. But knowing how they work won't help you win this fight. I'm way stronger than some big-mouthed punk who has to rely on weapons instead of his own strength. Just what do you think you've accomplished?"

"What have I accomplished?" Mousse tilted his head once again. "I was just about to get to that part. I think it's time for a little demonstration, but first I need the proper tool to do so. Let's see now, where is it." Mousse fumbled around with his left sleeve for a brief moment.

"Ah, there we go."

From the inside of his sleeve he drew out a _tiě shān_, a Chinese war fan. He unfolded the steel weapon to its full extent, and allowed its razor-sharp ribs to gleam in the sunlight.

"What are you doing?" Jenet asked, dumbstruck by her opponent's actions.

"Be quiet woman, the demonstration is still in progress. Now of course one would never usually open a war fan in a fight, it's impractical and reduces it effectiveness as a club, which would be its normal function." The amazon's eyes narrowed. "However, in this case I have a very special purpose in mind. Before that however, I would like to ask you a question. How strong do you think I am?"

"What?" Jenet tried to grasp where this was all going. "I mean… _what_?"

"Don't worry racking that empty head of yours; I'll give you the answer. People look at me and tend to underestimate just how strong I am because of how I look, but do you realize just how much strength it takes to carry around all these weapons in my robes and still be able to stand, let alone walk?

"But it's more than that. A few months ago, I underwent some special training involving a _jizou_ statue. I'll spare you the details, but after that incident, my strength was increased to new heights. I would say that I now exceed Ranma in raw physical power, and nearly match Hibiki."

"Give me a break. I'm as strong as Ryoga too. And you own strength is debatable; my win record against you certainly agrees." Ranma said curtly from the sidelines.

"I'm stronger than the two of you put together!" Ryoga bellowed.

"Can you two shut up and let me finish! I'm making a point here!" Mousse snapped again as he lost his patience. Did those two fools have to comment on everything? They were completely unable to appreciate true showmanship!

"Now where was I? Oh yes, I was explaining about this fan." He resumed addressing Jenet. "What do you think would happen if I were to use this fan to churn up the air?"

He had no intention of letting Jenet respond. With a deft wave of his arm, he swung the large fan in a large, smooth arcing motion in front of him. The massive current of air it produced nearly knocked Jenet off of her feet, and created a ferocious rumbling that rung throughout the arena.

'No way!' Jenet cried to herself. 'That guy generated a huge gust of wind just by waving around an oversized fan? He's a monster!'

"Not bad at all Mousse." Ranma was genuinely impressed as he observed his rival's actions. He did not think the stupid duck had it in him to pull off a technique like that. Maybe he had to start taking Mousse more seriously as a rival.

"Your praise is unnecessary, Ranma… and unwanted. The attack is quite crude when you get down to it, and not something I would normally use in battle. However, in this case, it will serve an important purpose," the amazon gave his opponent a predatory glance. "Now that I can cancel out your attacks, this fight is mine!"

"Oooooooooh? You think your knock-off attacks can overpower the real thing?" Jenet stamped her foot. "Now you've gone and really pissed me off! I haven't even broken out my strongest moves yet! Your stupid little fan won't save you then!"

Mousse chuckled derisively. "Then why don't you show me these techniques right now? No more talk, let's end this."

"If you insist! Just don't complain when I send you to the hospital for a few years!"

Jenet began to dart forward, closing the space between her and Mousse in an erratic pattern so as not to give away her intentions. She had two techniques that she knew for certain could knock out the amazon if she connected with them: _Aurora _and _Many, Many Torpedoes_. Both of them had their strengths and weaknesses in this situation, and she knew that which choice she made could spell the difference between victory and defeat.

_Many, Many Torpedoes_ was the more logical choice. As the name implied it was a technique where Jenet shot herself feet-forward like a torpedo, delivering hundreds of kicks in a matter of seconds at her target. Its speed and range would allow her to approach Mousse with minimal risk… at least in theory. Jenet had lingering doubts in her mind that this was exactly what her opponent wanted her to do. With that fan of his, he could potentially neutralize the full force of her blows, and in the aftermath she would be left completely vulnerable to a strike from one of his weapons. Jenet did not want to end up skewered on the point of a spear because she took the obvious option.

That left her with _Aurora_. It had a much shorter range, but it was her most damaging attack. Wrapping herself in razor-sharp winds, she smashed into her opponent, blowing them upwards, higher and higher before she sent them back to earth with a crushing final blow. It would be difficult to get into close range to use it, but it would be equally hard for Mousse to stop it once she did.

'I'll go with it,' she decided. 'I've broken through his guard already, I can do it again.'

"What are you dancing around for, woman?" Mousse taunted as he threw a knife at her. "Were you lying about your abilities? Just so much hot air? Like you don't already use enough of it!"

"You bastard!" Jenet spat as she rolled forward to avoid the knife. Enough of this! It was time to put this big-mouthed dweeb in his place! With adrenaline surging though her body, the young pirate ran forward.

"Here I come! Yahoooooooo!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, generating a small gust of wind behind her for extra propulsion. Surrounded by cutting winds, she spun into Mousse as he brought his fan up for another swing. Jenet aggressively moved into close range, giving him as little room as possible to move his arms, neutralizing the power behind his attack. As she slammed into his body, sending it high up into the air with her, Jenet felt a tremendous amount of pride at her success.

'I've got him. He's totally helpless, now all I have to do is perform the final blow and…'

She never got to finish that thought. The feeling of cold metal chains wrapping around her ankles shocked Jenet out of her euphoria. What she had not realized was that Mousse had never intended to use the war fan to counter her attack; he only wanted her to _believe_ that was his plan. So focused was she on trying to stop him from using it, she never even considered that he might have some other weapon in mind.

Taking control of the situation, Mousse pulled on the chains and slammed Jenet into the ground with extreme prejudice, her slight frame making a hard thud as it collided with the arena floor. He spun slightly as he used the chains to control his own descent, and stuck the landing with the panache of a veteran gymnast. Not wasting any more time, he readied even more chains.

He always enjoyed this part.

In her dazed state, Jenet could faintly hear the sound of rustling chains. As her senses recovered, she could start feeling them rap around her body tightly, constraining her arms and the upper parts of her legs. She was totally immobilized, and utterly at the mercy of her foe.

"Ah, that's much better. Don't bother struggling; the chains will only get tighter. This fight is over woman, just like I promised you. Although if it makes you feel any better, I wasn't able to defeat you in under a minute as I had promised. Not that it will get you any mercy from me.

"As it stands you have two options. I can either smash you into the ground as many times as necessary until you fall unconscious, or you can submit now and save yourself a lot of pain and me a lot of time. I don't really care either way, but you should make your choice quickly, before I get impatient and make it for you."

Fear raced through Jenet's mind. Just how serious was Mousse's threat? Who was she kidding, all evidence pointed towards him being perfectly willing to cold-bloodedly torture her until she was physically broken. The sicko would probably get off on it too.

Submitting, Jenet could not think of a greater shame she could endure. Voluntarily giving up the fight while she still had strength in her to resist, it went against every conviction she held. But Mousse had not been lying about the chains, the more she struggled, the tighter they grew, and it seemed as if there was no means of her getting out of this.

"Hurry up woman; I'm only giving you another five seconds to choose. Five… four…" Mousse began his countdown with unnerving casualness.

'I… I… don't want to lose. But this is hopeless!'

"Three… two… o…"

"I submit!" Jenet screamed at the top of her lungs. "…Do you hear that, judges? I submit!"

The arena grew very quiet for a moment, as the crowd waited in anticipation for what would come next.

After a brief wait, the announcer came in over the speakers, her voice unnaturally cheery in comparison to the dreadful tension in the arena. "The judges have made their decision. The winner of this match by submission is… Mous-sey! Two points will be awarded to his team!"

"It's Mousse people! One syllable! Is that a monkey up there announcing in the booth or something?" But his complaints were drowned out by the cheering of the fans. He gave up and turned back to his opponent. He still had words with here as well.

"You took me for a fool, a lot of people do. But let me ask you woman: who's the fool now? To have underestimated a warrior of _N__ǚ__jiézú_… there is no greater foolishness in this world!" he tried to strike a victory pose as he said this, spreading his arms and legs out in a theatrical fashion, but he only managed to end up looking like a fool in doing so.

Ranma could only shake his head in aggravation as he saw his teammate continue his trash-talking. Now, Ranma Saotome enjoyed mocking his opponents as much as anyone… when they earned it for being jerks or outright incompetent, but insulting an opponent who gave you a solid fight? That was just plain wrong. If he thought he could get away with it, he would have knocked Mousse out and dragged the bastard out of the ring, but that might end up looking even worse to the public than Mousse's stupid victory pose, and that was pretty horrific by any standard.

'Thanks a lot Mousse for making us look like a bunch of assholes to the crowd,' he thought. 'Why don't you just kick a puppy while you're at it? I think you still haven't alienated everyone!'

"Damn, is it me or is he getting a little too into this?" Ryoga asked Ranma.

"He was always too into it. You just haven't had to deal with much of his crap until now because he doesn't try to kill you all the time. And I should be happy he won too, but he just had to go and ruin it by acting like… well acting like Mousse."

"Next time woman, don't be so quick to dismiss a warrior who uses hidden weapons. You'll still lose, but you won't look as stupid." Mousse said as he released the chains on Jenet. He watched her walk away pitifully, and caught sight of her teammate, the big man in the mask, giving him an accusing glare.

'Look at him judging me like I did something wrong. I'm so very tired of being judged by people like that. I came here to win, to show the world what I was really made of. You fools can hate me if you like, but from this point forward I will be respected. Mousse plays the fool no longer!' With that he walked back to his corner of the ring.

"As promised, I have returned victorious." Mousse gloated as he gracefully stepped down from the ring to rejoin his teammates.

"You make me sick." Ryoga said as he offered Mousse the most fitting greeting he could think of. "Why didn't you show your opponent more respect? She was a competent martial artist, but more than that she was a lady! Do you have any honor?"

Mousse did not give an inch in the face of Ryoga's accusations. "With an attitude like that I can see why you lost your first match."

"You bastard! Give me a straight answer!" Ryoga was now only inches from Mousse's face, his hot breath fogging over Mousse's glasses.

"Hibiki… understand that I know more about female martial artists than you ever will. And it's not just because you are an idiot, I come from a culture that glorifies women who practice martial arts. Believe me when I say that the woman I just fought was nothing compared to any of them. Weaklings don't deserve pity, not when they go and put themselves in a real fight."

That answer just served to infuriate Ryoga even more. "I don't think she was weak at all! I think you got lucky! Ranma, you agree with me, right?"

"Sorry, I'm not even gonna touch this one." Ranma threw up his hands. "You two can solve this on your own time, because Mousse's dickery aside, I've got a fight coming up in a moment and I need to concentrate on winning it."

Mousse's face hardened. "My 'dickery' is what scored us two points. Are you going to be an ingrate too, Ranma?"

"You won. I'll give that much to you, but you'll never have my respect. Not with your attitude."

"Heh, your respect is worthless, but your recognition of my victory? That I will gladly accept. Besides, more importantly, I honored my word to Shampoo, and that is what counted most."

Mousse's head turned up towards the heavens. "Oh Shampoo my darling, did you see my victory? I hope you enjoyed it."

* * *

"Mousse… won?" Shampoo yawned. The fight had stated to drag out a little too long for her taste and tire her (as anything involving Mousse tended to do to her), and she had dozed off for a few minutes, missing the climax of the bout.

"And a convincing victory at that. It seemed uncertain there for a while, but the part-timer pulled through at the end." Cologne nodded sagely

Cologne allowed herself a small smile. Yes, this had turned out to be a good match. Mousse had displayed a level of cunning and planning not normally seen in his fights. The old woman had always suspected he had it in him, but this was the first time it all came together. One element had certainly been in Mousse's favor. For once he was not directly fighting for the affection of Shampoo, something that had always distracted his thoughts and weakened him in the past.

'I see that when you are not completely distracted by your obsessive love for Shampoo, you become quite the terror in battle. Very good, Mousse. You clearly have even more potential then I gave you credit for. But will you ever live up to it? Our village could make great use of it, but I know that there is still a large streak of selfishness in your heart, and that worries me of what might come in the future.'

If only he could build upon his strengths, and learn to overcome those weaknesses… well there was time for that later. It would be a long tournament after all.

"Now it is time to see what my son-in-law is capable of. I hope he does not disappoint."

Shampoo quirked an eyebrow at the old woman's statement.

"You think Airen be outdone by Mousse, great-grandmother? I mean no offense, but that is too-too impossible! Airen is so much stronger than teammates, and Mousse beat team captain. The captain always strongest member, right? So that other man, the one in bird mask, he no match for Airen."

"If it were that simple…"

"What? Great-grandmother, you know something you not saying?"

"It is just an old woman's intuition, but I think it would be premature to say that son-in-law is going to have an easy time with this one."

'That giant,' Cologne thought. 'He is no ordinary man. Something about his spirit… it is pure. I have not felt that in many years now. I will admit I always had a soft spot for those types. Regardless, he should prove to be a good test for the boy. Ranma, if you want to one day be the best in the world, you have to be ready to defeat men like that, whose passion burn as bright as your own, or even greater. Are you up to the task? That will be revealed soon enough.'

Shampoo meanwhile had thoughts of her own. Thoughts of her beloved Ranma conquering his opponent in front of the whole world and declaring the victory for her honor. Not in the stupid tacky way Mousse had done either, but with real style befitting someone of her husband's ability. She was practically giddy at the thought of it.

Could things get any better?

Aware of what Shampoo was thinking, Cologne could only sigh in exasperation. 'Silly girl, you have as much to learn as Mousse.'

* * *

"We won!" Akane gasped. "I mean Ranma's team won!"

"Yes, but should we feel good about it?" Kasumi asked. "The way Mr. Mousse won wasn't very nice. That poor girl… that was too much."

"I know what you mean." Akane's elation deflated as she took in her elder sister's comment.

Akane knew better than most people just how ruthless the male amazon could be, having been kidnapped and threatened by him on multiple occasions. She wanted to think that Mousse had been turning over a new leaf in the past few months, but despite acting far less destructive and treacherous towards Ranma and the Tendos, it was clear that he was still a very dangerous individual. He was not bound by the same sense of honor or ethics that Ranma and Ryoga were, and that gave him an edge in certain respects. It had been wrong of her to dismiss him as the weak link of the team, and while she felt bad about admitting it, she was glad he was on Ranma's side for once instead of opposing him.

"That is one scary dude. He gets the job done however." O'Conner mumbled absentmindedly, taking out a clean page in his notebook. A warrior of _N__ǚ__jiézú_, huh? That would require some further investigation.

Nabiki meanwhile sat smugly in her seat. This time she had won her bet. Who cared how Mousse had done it? The money was just as valuable either way.

"So it's down to Ranma and the big guy." Akane said. "I wonder how that's going to work out."

"It could either way." O'Conner answered her. "That's Tizoc down there, who's arguably the greatest heavyweight pro-wrestler in the world right now. Then again, if that Saotome kid is the strongest member of his team… there are a lot of variables at play."

"Pro-wrestling? Is that a joke?" Nabiki suppressed a laugh. "Even Ranma can take out an oversized clown like that."

O'Conner groaned again in annoyance. Did that amateur always have to weigh in on subjects she had no clue about?

"Don't be so quick to dismiss Tizoc. Pro-wrestling is not as tame as you make it out to be. The storylines are planned out in advance, that's true, but the violence is often all too real. And of course there's shoot or "strong style" wrestling, which was created in order to make pro-wrestling a competitive martial art. Tizoc is a master of shoot wrestling, and a veteran of over three dozen cage matches, all of which he's come out of victorious."

"Was the cage on fire?" Nabiki taunted.

"No, but there was a ladder involved in at least two of them, and that is not something to be trifled with lightly."

"That's nothing, Ranma's faced far worse. I mean Akane has hit him with objects far larger than a ladder. Why there was that one time…"

"Nabiki!"

"What? I'm saying you've helped your fiancée train for this critical moment in his life."

"I have a question for the reporter, Akane." Kasumi broke in, again having to do the thankless task of defusing the tension between her younger sisters. "Why is that large fighter wearing that bird mask? Does he take it off before he fights? It seems impractical."

"Oh? You're right Kasumi, that mask is odd. Maybe Mr. O'Conner…"

"I'm on it. So you want to know about the mask? Well, Tizoc is Mexican, and in his home country most of the wrestlers fight wearing masks. The masks are highly symbolic, representing the 'public face' of the wrestler to the rest of the world. To be seen without it is almost unheard of, and to lose it in a match would be a huge disgrace. I'm surprised you didn't know about that, a lot of Japanese wrestlers who train in Mexico adopt the masks as well."

"I never followed wrestling. I guess I never took it all that seriously." Akane felt embarrassed at her own lack of knowledge on the subject. Why had she never bothered to learn this kind of stuff? How was she ever going to be taken seriously as a martial artist if she did not even understand the different philosophies of other schools of combat?

O'Conner sighed. "I hope for his sake your fiancée takes it seriously, or he may end up flattened like a pancake. The power of a pro-wrestler can never be underestimated."

"…" Akane had no idea how to respond to that. Even a reference to her engagement was not enough to distract her from how serious the situation was.

'No, what am I getting so worried about. Ranma went into this tournament ready to take on any kind of opponent. He knows how competent these guys are, and he's not going to underestimate anyone this time around. Ranma will be focused, and he's almost unbeatable when he puts his mind to it. I just need to put my faith in him again, that he knows what he's doing.'

Akane took a deep breath, and her mind went over that last thought again.

'…Put my faith in him. Put my faith in him. Put my…'

"Damn it! It's not working!" She screamed in desperation.

Nabiki shook her head. "Typical. You still have a ways to go, Akane."

"Good lord, what is wrong with you people?" O'Conner said in exasperation. He was just thankful he could not understand what the eldest sister was talking about. She must have been the craziest one in the bunch by far, how else could you explain her _smiling_ while her little sister was screaming like a banshee?

Nuts, the whole lot of them. And he use to complain about _his_ sisters.

"Meg, Andie, wherever you are right now, I send you my sincerest apologies."

* * *

"Okay, now this is what I wanted to see." Pepe pulled his chair up closer to the monitor to get a better look. "Tizoc, my main man, gets to show his stuff! Total main event material in the making!"

"He doesn't look all that impressive to me," Lynn said as she yawned. "For all the fuss you made about Jenet's team, they've been totally dominated by those guys we met yesterday. Billy was right about how strong they were."

"Oh shut up Lynn," Pepe said bitterly. "Marco and Jenet had some bad luck, that's all. And that Moussy guy is a cheater. I knew from the moment I met that prick that he must fight dirty. Hidden weapons! I tell you, he could never win a straight-up fight. Even worse, he treated a total babe like Jenet so badly! I'll whip that punk around like a broken belt if I ever get the chance, you can count on it."

"He fought within the rules of the tournament, Pepe. You can't diminish his accomplishments just because you have it out for the guy. Haven't you learned anything from hanging around Billy?"

"Heh, whatever." Pepe looked over to the door. "When is Billy coming back anyway? I wanted him to see Tizoc fight. He's gonna miss all the action."

"I don't know. He said he was going to check up on our competition, but I think he's looking for information about the Black Dragon, seeing if any of the other teams have a connection with them. Honestly, I should have gone with him, it's not safe to be wandering around these halls alone."

Pepe cocked an eyebrow. "Is that the only reason? Or maybe you wanted to spend some 'quality' time with your man?"

"It's… it's… nothing like that!" Lynn became flustered. "You have a really dirty mind, you know that José!"

"Oh settle down _chica_, it was all in fun. But you should make your move on him sooner rather than later. I bet a guy like Billy has ladies knocking down his door all the time."

"Can we focus on more important manners?" Lynn said as she tried to shake the blush from her cheeks.

"Ai ai, you're no fun. I'm going to watch this match. If you want to look for Billy, I won't stop you, but I'm telling you this is one fight you don't want to miss. Also, men don't like girls who can't place any trust in them."

"José!" All of Lynn's efforts to disperse her blush went in vain as she turned an even brighter shade of crimson than previously.

"Yep, too easy." Pepe smirked as he reclined back in his chair.

* * *

"Miss Jenet, are you alright?" Tizoc rushed to the side of his teammate as she exited the ring.

"I can't believe I lost." Jenet slumped next to the edge of the ring. "I messed up and now we're in the hole. I'm the damn team captain and I blew our chances!"

In the last tournament Tizoc, Gato, and she had avoided elimination, mostly because things had gone crazy when some weird heavily armed man attacked the site where the finals were being held. However, this time a defeat in the first round seemed almost certain and Jenet knew she could blame no one but herself for it. It felt like the bottom was falling out from her grand plans, that her confidence had been nothing but a joke. She struggled to fight back hot tears from streaming down her face.

As she felt utterly overwhelmed, a large hand rested on her shoulder. She looked up to see Tizoc standing over her.

"Calm yourself noble Miss Jenet, there is no reason to descend into despair." The giant wrestler looked across the ring. "Do not forget that this match is not over. I will fight their captain now, and when I win, we will tie them in points. More than that, I will make my victory so convincing that the judges will have no choice but to advance us to the next round."

"You really think so?" Jenet said between sniffs.

"I know so. I have full confidence in my ability to win, because Tizoc will never lose when it matters most. I swore an oath on my mask that I would never lose as long as even a single person believes in me, and today is no different. Do you believe I can win, Miss Jenet?"

"Yes, I do." Jenet said with hope shining in her eyes.

"SPLENDID! Then so shall it be! And remember Miss Jenet, never lose hope! When you give that up, you give away your future."

"I'm not a ten-year old, Tizoc." Jenet giggled. "You don't need to keep the act up for my sake anymore."

"I apologize, but I know no other way of living." He stepped towards the ring. "A man like me does everything in full measures! It keeps away the regrets!"

"Forget about the money, just win!" Jenet called out, waving frantically. She could see him give a silent nod, so out of character for him, as he continued his walk.

Ranma had already entered the ring and was waiting for his opponent to meet up with him. He kept his eyes firmly locked on Tizoc the whole time it took for the wrestler to reach the center of the ring. At last they stood across from one another, trying to gauge the measure of the other man.

"I hope you fight with more honor than your comrade did." Tizoc said with a hint of warning in his voice.

"Don't worry, I'm nothing like Mousse. I do what it takes to win, but I don't make it a point to humiliate my opponents… unless they ask for it." Ranma said as he tried to look his opponent in the face, trying being the operative word.

Over the past day or so, Ranma had to confront an unpleasant truth. He was short. Okay, not short, but compared to all of these huge fighters he kept running into he felt tiny by comparison. He did not want to develop a complex or anything over it, but he frankly felt a bit stupid having to tilt his head up to get a good look at a man who stood a good half a meter taller than him; a guy hiding his face behind a mask at that.

That mask bothered Ranma. A big part of fighting lay in the ability to read an opponent's emotions, and the mask countered that somewhat, although body language was just as important, if not more so. But more than that, it was conventional wisdom not to trust someone who hid their face from others. What did this guy want to hide?

At any rate it could not hurt to draw this conversation out a bit more, get a better feel for what he was dealing with this time around.

"So I guess it's down to you and me, Big Bird." He began.

"Bird? I think you are mistaken, this is a griffon mask." Tizoc's tone was polite, but quite firm.

"Come again?"

"The Griffon!" the wrestler said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Griffon, that's a breed of vulture, right?" Ryoga could be heard asking Mousse from outside of the ring. "So why is he saying he's not a bird? You don't think he's confusing it for a Griffin? Then again, a griffin has a bird's head as well."

"IT IS A GRIFFON MASK!" Tizoc bellowed over Ranma's head at the Lost Boy.

"I don't care what he says, that _is _a bird mask." Ryoga muttered.

"I don't care period." Mousse casually said as he wiped his glasses.

"Okay… Mr. Griffon, what fighting style do you use?" Ranma asked, almost afraid to hear what the answer would be.

"I am a practitioner of Pro-wrestling, the most powerful system of combat ever devised by man!"

"…" Ranma was left speechless.

Pro-wrestling? Like those crazy musclemen he saw on TV prancing around half-naked while hitting each other with chairs? He had never even heard of that stuff before he moved in with the Tendos, and Nabiki had claimed it was all pretend, entertainment for kids and lonely men with too much time and money on their hands. Now granted Nabiki was never the most reliable source of information, but her explanation had seemed reasonable enough at the time. So was this crazy masked guy seriously claiming that he was a legitimate fighter using a style that was supposedly make-believe?

"It seems you are confused." Tizoc stated flatly.

"A little." By which Ranma meant _a lot_.

"I see. Then a full introduction is in order!"

"I don't think that's really…"

Ranma never got to finish his sentence. With a dramatic flourish of his cape, Tizoc turned toward the crowd and began his grand soliloquy.

"I am the proud wall of muscle that shields the weak and defenseless from the machinations of the wicked! I am the guardian of the dreams and hopes of the world's children! I am the shooting star of pro-wrestling, who conquers all villains who dare to face me! Whatever form evil takes, whether it is zombies, vampire women, or even the dreaded Mummies of Guanajuato, I will fight them with every last ounce of my strength!"

The crowd broke into wild cheers as he went on, the children seeming to be particularly delighted by their hero's words. Having reached the climax, Tizoc now turned around to face Ranma once more and deliver the final lines face-to-face.

"Yes, I do all of these things and more! For I am a courageous and noble soldier of justice! Know my name, young man! I am TIZOC, THE GRIFFON MASK! CAW!"

His last words seemed to echo throughout the stadium, and while Ranma was sure he was only imagining it, he swore he could hear some sort of fanfare playing in the background.

"Did he just caw? Like a bird?" Ryoga asked flabbergasted.

"But remember, he's a _griffon_." Mousse snidely corrected him, but The Lost Boy was too distracted by something else he noticed to take offense.

"And did his beak just open when he did that? I think I saw a tongue in there! Who… what is he?"

"Do we really need to go over that again? Give that loon a chance and he'll keep us here until the sun sets."

Ryoga was not appeased. "For that matter how does he even hear? That mask doesn't even have any ear holes!"

"I think you're missing the point here… you know what, forget it." Having given up, Mousse decided to sit down and meditate until things settled down. And if Ranma just happened to be beaten to a bloody pulp in the meantime, such was life.

For his part Ranma could only think of one thing in regard to what he had just witnessed.

'He's as bad as Kuno, maybe even worse. This freak had to be my first opponent?'

Okay, technically that was two things, but you get the point.

Tizoc saw Ranma's blank expression and concluded the boy must have not understood the importance of his speech. Granted, it was normally accompanied by his trademark 'Theme of Griffon' which helped to convey the deep sincerity and passion of his statements (with a dash of drama thrown in for good measure).

"Do you need me to repeat that young man? You seemed to be confused. Should I retrieve a copy of my speech to help you understand better? I brought one translated into the Japanese language just in case this happened."

"…You are messed up; seriously, _seriously_ _messed up_."

"You mean my mask is out of place?" Tizoc fidgeted with his back feathers a bit. "Thank you for telling me, young man. That could have been very embarrassing for me."

"Uh… you're welcome?" Okay, so this guy was no Kuno, but he was still damn weird. And Ranma had no idea of what to expect from him as a fighter, which meant he could potentially be very dangerous.

"You seem to be a noble person," Tizoc continued. "And under normal circumstances I would fight you with a certain amount of restraint, as you are still a child. However, I made a promise to Miss Jenet that I would win this match for our team, and I will use my full strength in order to do so. I ask for your forgiveness in advance for any pain I might cause you."

"Don't bother with any of that, big man." Ranma cracked his knuckles. "I'm the one who's going to win this match, and I'd be downright insulted if you went easy on me. If anything I should be apologizing for not letting you keep your promise."

"Ha! You speak bold words! Now let us see how your actions match up to them!" With that, Tizoc tossed his blue cape from his shoulders. With every one of his muscles now on display, he looked even larger and more imposing than before.

For a third time, the speakers blared to life to announce the start of a new match.

"Are the fighters ready? OK… Round Three… Gooooo!"

Tizoc wasted no time and took a wild swing with his right arm at Ranma's head. The power behind it was obvious, but it lacked any planning or finesse, and the pigtailed boy easily sidestepped the clumsy blow.

As Ranma had expected, this guy was all brawn and nothing else. Ryoga could have come up with a better plan on his worst day, and he was a lot faster too. Ranma knew that winning this fight would come down to wearing his opponent down bit by bit, chipping away at his defenses until he gave out.

To start with, Ranma jabbed at Tizoc's exposed flank, trying to ram his fist into the wrestler's ribcage. He did not want take a risk with anything fancy just yet. Just jumping up and kicking Tizoc in the face might have led to a quicker victory, but if the wrestler got in a lucky counterblow things could go south very quickly.

Ranma was then amazed when Tizoc swatted his punch away with a simple but well coordinated block with his forearm. Ranma tried to keep the offensive going, throwing out several more quick jabs and kicks, but again he was frustrated at every turn. Tizoc seemed bemused by the whole thing, as if he were entertaining a child.

"Having fun there?" Ranma asked as he launched another kick.

"A little bit. You might not be so happy in a second though." The wrestler sidestepped the kick and then effortless stretched his massive arms out and picked Ranma off of his feet. There was not even any time to react; Ranma was lifted up into the air like a sack of potatoes.

"HERCULES THROW!"

The wrestler threw his opponent halfway across the ring as if it were nothing. As he sailed through the air, Ranma desperately shifted his body to regain control of his balance, to land on his feet. He flipped himself at the last moment and avoided any harm.

He had only a second to recover from the landing before he heard it, the sound of stampeding feet. Like the rumbling of an incoming train, it grew louder and louder, until it was almost upon him.

"POSEIDON… WAVE!"

Ranma threw himself to the ground to avoid the massive clothesline aimed at his head. The pigtailed boy cursed as he realized that Tizoc had been setting him up from the first moment of the match to hit him with this particular attack, and it was only Ranma's own heightened reflexes that had put avoided it. A slower, less agile fighter would have ended up taking the full brunt of the blow, maybe even be knocked out cold in one shot.

Having missed, Tizoc managed to come to a complete stop before Ranma could take advantage of his exposed back. He managed to pivot on his right foot with considerable agility and face his enemy once more.

'This guy can plan ahead,' the boy admitted to himself. 'I'm not fighting some hulking brute here. This is a real martial artist using a style I'm not familiar with. I wanted a challenge for my first match, and I got it.'

"Are you hesitating, young man?" Tizoc called out confidently. "You know what they say about that!"

"Don't worry about me big guy, I'm just getting started. You haven't seen anything yet!" Ranma took up his fighting stance once again. "Watch me bring it!"

End Chapter

_Wow, it took me a lot longer than I hoped to publish this chapter. Sadly, I was fighting a bout of chronic fatigue over the past few weeks, and it was hard enough to focus on my everyday tasks, let alone work on the story. It's okay however, I'm starting to get back on track. You can expect a chapter for the month of October, count on it. Also, I'm going back to earlier chapters and correcting mistakes found in them. You won't find anything new, but they will make for smoother reading when I'm done editing._

_Also, I thank everyone for their reviews. I'll get into specific comments next time, but you guys really do help focus my writing, so never be afraid to leave a few words one way or the other._

_I'll have a lot more for you next month including a big announcement, so until then, take care!_


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